Golfers compete with teammate in mind

By Brent Hinckley

Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008 | midnight

A month to the day after their teammate passed away, the Boulder City High girls golf team teed off in the 3A state championship at Spring Creek Golf Course near Elko on Monday.

Senior Bethany Smith died of a heart condition on Sept. 20.

It was a coincidence not lost on the players as they took to the course hoping to win the school’s first girls golf state championship.

“We wanted to go out and win for her and we did. I think she’d be really proud of us,” senior Ashley Vince said.

Boulder City won the state title by 18 strokes against second place Virgin Valley.

The Eagles started the season with high expectations, because there were three players returning who all had postseason experience — Margot Potter, Ashley Vince and Smith. Smith finished 29th in last year’s tournament.

Along with Potter, who finished seventh at state in 2007, and Vince, who was 18th, the three seniors were to be the backbone of a rebuilt team.

The Eagles struggled in 2007 maintaining a team. With just four competitors (junior Bridget Ward was the team’s fourth member), Boulder City was not eligible to record team scores at any 3A Southern League matches because they didn’t have the required five players.

Still, the girls kept playing and Potter, Smith and Vince individually qualified for the state tournament. Those experiences prepared them for this season.

At the start of the year, Vince said, they knew what to expect and were ready to play but, more importantly, they were back to being a full team. Sophomores Indiana Mead, Bree Morang and Lizz Ropp joined the squad to give the it more than enough golfers to field a full team.

It’s been a phenomenal season for the Eagles, going undefeated in 3A Southern League play, winning the league tournament and now winning the state championship.

Quintero said she wondered how the team would respond after Smith’s death. Potter said it was a motivation to win the state title.

“It feels really, really good that we won state and did it for her memory,” Potter said.

Brent Hinckley can be reached at 990-7822 or brent.hinckley@hbcpub.com.