Bonanza nips PV for state crown

Nick Christensen

Wednesday, May 19, 2004 | 9:07 a.m.

After playing nearly even on Monday, Palo Verde and Bonanza high schools didn't do much to distance themselves in Tuesday's final round of the 4A state boys' golf championship.

"I didn't think we had it until (Palo Verde) coach (Jeff) Wolfram and myself were on 18, adding up scores," Bengals coach Dan Wieser said. "Even then, I wasn't sure."

As it turned out, Wieser's Bengals padded their two-shot lead out of the first round by five more shots, beating Palo Verde for the state championship by seven strokes at North Las Vegas' Aliante Golf Club.

The Bengals earned the clean sweep with a total of 780, with Aaron Slonim claiming the medalist honors with a 6-over 150. Three golfers, including Slonim's teammate Joseph Wieser, shot a 151.

Slonim was one of the few golfers able to better their Monday scores. While Monday's breezes were generally in the 20 mph range, Tuesday's winds gusted in excess of 30 mph.

"I just tried to shoot a 72, and I was thinking maybe I'd get it. The conditions were really tough out there, and I pulled through," Slonim said. "I was really surprised. I didn't feel like a 74 would win."

In fact, a 74 was the best round anyone shot Tuesday.

"A 74 today is a terrific score, it's unbelievable. I'm real happy," Wieser said. "The conditions were tough, the way the pins were, the wind and stuff -- this is not an easy course to play."

Despite leading after shooting a 1-under 71 in the first round, Spanish Springs' Dennis Carr struggled Tuesday, shooting an 81 and finishing in fifth place with a 152.

Two northerners, Galena's Dan Wittlinger and Sparks' Greg Wenzel, shot 151.

Wolfram said it wasn't just the wind that was slowing play Tuesday. Despite starting at noon, the earliest of any start time in the postseason, play didn't wrap up until after 7 p.m.

"The wind was a little stronger today, but the course was longer than what we've played," he said. "It played a little longer. The second hole we played was 470 yards, dead into the wind."

Wolfram seemed more frustrated by being the state runner-up for the third year in a row than anything the wind could have brought his team.

"Our six, five, four, and three guys played real good, and we had two kids struggle and it happened to be on the same day," he said. "Our kids had a real outstanding year."

Henderson's Coronado High finished 17 behind Bonanza, in third with a 797. Reno's Galena High finished fourth with a 812, and Green Valley High School closed 10 back of Galena with an 822. Fallon's Churchill County High School struggled with an 833, after Jason Kirby was disqualified for recording an incorrect score.