The girl’s and boy’s golf teams have been flying under the radar for years while other sports receive the recognition for their achievements. They’re hoping this year is different.

“It gives us more motivation to play good, not many people care and if we win a big tournament people will care,” stated senior golfer Brandon Carlson. After a disappointing result at the state championship this past season, the boys hope to achieve a different result this year. With all of their top golfers returning, a run at the state championship could be very probable.

They started off the season with solid wins over Casa Grande and Hamilton in a 9 hole match at Dave White Golf Course. Senior Jared Alleman and junior Mike McGilton both performed at a high level, both shooting a 1 under 35 score. The Pumas followed up their success with a strong showing at the Antigua National High School Golf Invitational, finishing 6th out of 20 teams.

Seniors Brandon Carlson and Alex Lobeck were the top two finishers for the Pumas while competing against some of the top golfers from around the country. Carlson shot a score of 72 both rounds, giving him a two day score of 144. He would finish the invitational tied for 7th place with two other golfers.

The Lady Pumas began the season with quality  wins over Mesquite and Skyline. They hope to rebuild after losing three talented seniors this past season.

When asked about his goals for the season, coach Brian Bernier responded, “To be more competitive within our own area, Hamilton and Chandler have strong golf teams and we want to compete at their level.” The ladies will look for strong performances from junior golfers Allie Gloss and Allie Ward.
With a few more matches and the state championships approaching quickly, the Puma golfers look to complete their season on a positive note, and possibly with a state championship victory.