Green Valley girls golf team looks for strength in small numbers

By Jared Harmon

Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008 | midnight

After a solid season and third place finish in state, the Green Valley High girls team is hoping to build on the experience it picked up and head into another strong year.

Senior state qualifiers Jordan Sala and Brittany Radke are expected to be the leaders on a small squad of six that coach Greg Murphy hopes will overcome its inexperience.

"We've had a great preseason and this group has been improving every day," Murphy said. "That's all you can ask for as a coach. I tell them if you're not getting better then you're getting worse and every day they find a new way to improve."

Sala and Radke will be supported by junior Emily Schroeder and sophomore Deandra Robison, as well as two newcomers — freshman Kristen Hsu and senior Megan Reed.

"It's a small squad, so we're not going to be able to rely on our depth the way we have in the past," Murphy said. "But that's the beauty of the new 'best four of six' rule. That really works in our favor this year."

In previous years, a team's score was the sum of its five lowest scorers, however, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association changed the scoring format to the lowest four scores. The change is expected to help smaller teams stay competitive.

"I think the rule change probably helps us more than hurts us," Sala said. "Silverado is our biggest rival, and I think our top two can keep up with their top two. If our three and four have a big day we will be able to compete with anyone."

Radke said she's already seen signs the Gators can provide stiff competition but thinks they need more practice to get to the next level.

"We definitely have a lot of potential," Radke said. "As we practice and play more I can see us getting better. We just need to work on our consistency by relaxing and focusing on the small things."

Last year, the Gators finished 26 strokes behind state champion Silverado and 11 strokes behind second place Douglas High of Northern Nevada.

Murphy said the Gators seem to have the right mental approach this season and have set high expectations for themselves.

"We want to win the (Sunrise) Region and we want to win state," Sala said. "If we focus on playing our game, we can do that. Last year we let the pressure get to us. We just need to get past all that and post the scores we know we're capable of."

Jared Harmon is a reporter for the Home News. He can be reached at 990-8922 or [email protected].