Prep: Gators golf team builds early lead

Thursday, Oct. 22, 1998 | 10:28 a.m.

Green Valley took control of the two-day 4A state girls golf championship on Wednesday, building a gaudy 59-point lead over its closest competitor.

Led by freshman Christine Fernandez and junior Emily De'Ath -- who finished tied for the individual lead with identical 74s -- the Gators combined for a total of 385 at Sparks' Red Hawk Golf Club.

Second-place Durango goes into today's action with a 444, followed by Reed (457), Reno (461) and Bishop Gorman (464).

Four Green Valley golfers scored under 80 on the par-72 course, with juniors Mary Fernandez (78) and Kimberly Kindig (79) joining the co-leaders on the leaderboard's top 10.

Durango senior Laura DeLucia, who captured last week's Southern Zone title, is one stroke back in third place.

Gators hoping for sweep

The 4A state tennis tournament opens today in Reno, with Green Valley the heavy favorite on the boys side and a serious challenger in the girls draw as well.

The Gator boys, who have won three straight state titles and five consecutive zone trophies, may get some competition from northern champion Reno, which lost to Green Valley 15-7.5 in last year's state final.

"It won't be a cakewalk," Green Valley coach Jeff Horn said. "Reno's a little scary right now. Their team is pretty much intact from last year."

To pull off the upset, the Raiders will need a huge performance from top singles player Manuel Lastra, who captured the Northern Zone title with ease last week.

"They definitely have to be the favorite, since they've qualified three singles players and two doubles teams (in the individual tournament)," Reno coach Bob Dice said. "They key is going to be how our No. 3 doubles do."

The girls team title should be up for grabs, with Reno, McQueen, Green Valley and Bishop Gorman in contention. The Gators toppled the Gaels during the regular season, but Gorman returned the favor in last week's zone tournament.

Individually, Bishop Monogue sophomore Lara Burgarello, last year's state champion, should be pressed by Silverado freshman Jamie Marshall, Bishop Gorman junior Jennifer Kuhle and McQueen senior Vania Apodaca, the 1997 state runner-up.

Tidbits

With one week remaining in the regular season, the northern football playoff still has a few unanswered questions. In Division I, McQueen, Elko and Reed have clinched berths, with Sparks, Galena and Lowry vying for the final spot. In Division II, Wooster, Carson, Douglas and Reno are in, but Carson and Douglas will play this week with one mission: win and avoid a long road trip to Elko for the first round next week. ...

Behind its win at last weekend's Sunrise Division meet, Green Valley stayed atop this week's Southern Nevada Coaches Association cross country poll. Rounding out the top five: Basic, Durango, Silverado and Cheyenne. Basic, which captured the Sunrise boys title, vaulted over Durango into first place in the boys poll, followed by the Trailblazers, Bonanza, Silverado and Green Valley. ...