Ram golfers take 3rd at State

LAS CRUCES — The Portales Ram golfers were unable to make up any ground in the final round of the New Mexico Class 1A-3A state golf tournament Tuesday at the New Mexico State University golf course, but they held steady enough to earn third place.

District rival Lovington took the championship with a two-day combined team score of 628 (302, 326), followed by St. Mike’s, just two strokes back at 630 (309, 321), and the Portales boys managed 653 (319, 334).

“Being in the situation that we were in, I think we pressed in situations where we shouldn’t have pressed,” Ram golf coach Pat Crowley said.
Ram junior Donavin Sanchez was in position after the first round to make a run at the individual medal, but Sanchez shot a 9-over-par 81 on Tuesday to finish in a tie for fifth place overall.

“I didn’t play very good,” Sanchez said. “I didn’t putt that bad but I just had a few big numbers and the wind picked up.”

Sanchez also knew he had to make up several strokes to have a chance at first place.

“When I made the turn, a kid that had played good yesterday was already done and I saw his round and he had played real good,” Sanchez said. “So I knew I had to step it up pretty good because I was already behind the kid that played good earlier.”

Rick Bergman also shot 81 on Tuesday and fellow Portales junior William Archibeque fired a second-round score of 85.

Dennis Short carded a Tuesday score of 87, followed by fellow freshman Tristan Cottrell’s 91.

Desert Academy sophomore Colin Pratt shot a two-under-par 70 and won a three-hole playoff with Lovington’s Mark Woods for the overall individual championship.

Portales’ top three golfers are all juniors and will attempt to finally bring home the blue trophy next season.

“We’re going to win state next year,” Sanchez said.

“That’s a great way to look at it,” Crowley said. “That’s what we try to do every year. We’ll see what happens.”