2015 Boys Golf Capsule Previews
ARBOR VIEW
Head coach: David Fish, seventh season
Returning lettermen: Seven
Top golfers: Van Thomas (Sr.), Sam Dickey (Jr.), Ethan Bozner (Jr.), Cameron Gambini (Fr.)
Outlook: Thomas was the individual champion in the Division I state tournament last year, and Dickey earned All-Southern Nevada honors.
They lead a group of seven lettermen that helped the Aggies place third in Sunset Region meet.
“This year’s team will be the most talented and experienced team Arbor View golf has ever fielded,” Fish said. “The team is working hard to reach its goal to finally break through and qualify for the state tournament.”
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BISHOP GORMAN
Head coach: Jim Stanfill, third season
Returning lettermen: Three
Top golfers: Christian James (Jr.), Anthony Lalli (Sr.), Owen Rosebeck (Jr.)
Outlook: The defending Division I state champions will have to make up for the loss of Frank Frisbee and Bryce McEachern, who graduated after each shooting 4-over-par in last year’s state tournament.
“We will have to rely on our depth and incoming freshmen to retain the title,” Stanfill said.
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CENTENNIAL
Head coach: Michael Stamcoff, fifth season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top golfers: Joshua James (Jr.), Alec Vega (Sr.), Dillon Gault (So.)
Outlook: James, who averaged 84.5 strokes per 18 holes last season, is expected to be one of the leaders along with Vega (90.7) and Gault (94.8).
“Our goal is to qualify for regionals as a team,” Stamcoff said.
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CHAPARRAL
Head coach: Chris Brody, first season
Returning lettermen: One
Top golfers: Richard Hurst (Sr.), Houston Hughes (Sr.), Jean Joseph (Sr.), Adrian Garcia (So.), Aydan Amberg (Fr.), Danny Hubley (Fr.)
Outlook: Hurst is the lone letterman back for the Cowboys, who hope to show improvement during the season.
“We are hoping to compete at a high level,” Brody said. “We have three seniors with experience and some freshmen to learn from them. It will be a fun year.”
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CHEYENNE
Head coach: Jeff Dameworth, second season
Returning lettermen: One
Top golfers: James Goodykoontz (Jr.)
Outlook: The Desert Shields aren’t often blessed with an abundance of experience golfers, and this year is no different with just one letterman back.
“We have a couple of brand new players and a couple new ones that may be ready for the competitions this spring,” Dameworth said.
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CORONADO
Head coach: Joe Sawaia, 14th season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top golfers: Grant McKay (Jr.), Jalen Hodges (So,), Aaron Knief (Sr.), Hayden Baird (Sr.), Travis Dickens (Sr.)
Outlook: The Cougars return four lettermen from a team that tied for second in last year’s state meet.
McKay (78 strokes per 18 holes), Baird (80), Travis Dickens (81) and Knief (82) all are capable of posting low scores. McKay shot 77 and Dickens 78 in the final round of the state meet last year.
“We hope to successfully defend the Sunrise Region championship and be competitive at the state tournament,” Sawaia said.
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DESERT OASIS
Head coach: Kelly Perryman, seventh season
Returning lettermen: Three
Top golfers: Syouta Wakisaka (Jr.)
Outlook: Wakisaka, a state qualifier, is back after averaging 79.8 strokes per round in league matches.
“We are still a young team,” said Perryman, who has only one senior and one junior, but five sophomores and two freshmen. “We expect Syouta to repeat and improve at state.”
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DURANGO
Head coach: John Mausbach
Top golfers: Connor Redmerski (Sr.), Apollo Corley (Sr.), Victor Ross (Sr.), Reese Vertrees (So.)
Outlook: Redmerski, a three-year letterman, is expected to lead the Trailblazers, who hope to improve throughout the season.
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GREEN VALLEY
Head coach: Greg Murphy, 11th season
Returning lettermen: Three
Top golfers: Mason Comastro (Sr.), Jeff Mullins (Sr.), Ty Klabacka (So.)
Outlook: The Gators bring back three lettermen.
Comastro, Mullins and Klabacka all were second-team All-Northeast League selections last year.
“We look to compete for a division championship,” Murphy said.
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LAS VEGAS
Head coach: Art Plunkett, fifth season
Top golfers: Trey Jensen (Sr.)
Outlook: Jensen, who averaged 74 strokes per 18 holes last year, finished second in the Sunrise Region meet and 15th at the state meet last year.
He’ll be among those asked to provide leadership for the Wildcats.
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LIBERTY
Head coach: Kih Gourrier, third season
Returning lettermen: Three
Top golfers: Jayrick Cadelina-Canyete (Jr.), Ethan Hill (Sr.)
Outlook: Cadelina-Canyete had an average of 84 strokes per 18 holes last year and joins Hill (92) among the Patriots’ returnees.
“We should have a strong young team this year that competes for a league title,” Gourrier said.
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NEEDLES
Head coach: Bill Darrow, 24th season
Returning lettermen: Nine
Top golfers: Zarek Phillips (Sr.), Dakotah Masters-Mejia (Sr.), Gavin Pletcher (Jr.), Brenden Lainhart (Jr.), Joseph Garcia (So.), Destry Phillips (So.), Sam Burroughs (Jr.), Justin Smith (Sr.), Kyle Shand (Sr.)
Outlook: The defending Division III state champions bring back nine lettermen.
Phillips (76 strokes per 18 holes), Masters-Mejia (82), Garcia (85), Pletcher (87), Lainhart (89) and Smith (89) all averaged better than 90 last season.
“We lost two seniors from that team, but have a good group of kids back,” Darrow said. “If we improve this year as we did last year, we have a chance to compete for the championship again.
“The two players we lost were mid- to low-80s kids, so if we can get our number five and six to that level, we have a chance. We’re looking forward to another run and finishing at least in the top three in the state.”
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PALO VERDE
Head coach: Todd Steffenhagen, fourth season
Returning lettermen: Six
Top golfers: Bradley Collet (Sr.), Joe Ender (Jr.), Cameron Meeks (So.)
Outlook: The Panthers tied for second in last year’s state meet and could be set up for another strong run this year.
Ender, a second-team All-Sunset Region honoree, averaged 77.4 strokes per 18 holes, and Collet, also a second-team all-region selection, averaged 79.8. Meeks was a second-team All-Northwest League honoree, and averaged 82 strokes.
“With six returning lettermen and the addition of Jack Trent, this year’s team should have one of the deepest lineups in the Sunset Region,” Steffenhagen said.
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SHADOW RIDGE
Head coach: Steven Huesch, sixth season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top golfers: Tanner Johnson (Jr.), Samuel Patlik (Jr.), Mitchell Stark (So.), Noah Valentine (So.)
Outlook: The Mustangs bring back four lettermen and hope to be competitive in the Sunset Region.
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TECH
Head coach: David Shelton, third season
Returning lettermen: Five
Top golfers: Deylin Lees (Fr.), Matt Perry (Jr.), Brody Baumunk (Jr.), Aaron Ducker (Jr.), Daniel Nordin (Jr.)
Outlook: The Roadrunners return five lettermen, but have no seniors on the team.
“The Roadrunners are looking to improve with a young team,” Shelton said. “We do have a group of juniors who are improving every year since they began golfing as freshmen. With the addition of freshman Deylin Lees, we should be a much improved team this year.”
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VALLEY
Head coach: Steven Flasza and Jim Erikson, third season
Returning lettermen: One
Top golfers: Michael Brickell (Jr.), Michael Frias (Fr.), Jeremy Watson (Fr.), Chris Kuhlemeier (Fr.), Ismael Olivero-Jimenez (Fr.)
Outlook: Brickell, who enters his third season with the team, is the lone returnee.
“My excitement for the season stems from the amount of interest I have among ninth-grade students,” Flasza said. “Out of only nine or 10 potential players that have been attending intramurals, six are freshmen. If they end up loving the game, it will be interesting to see where they will be their senior year.”
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WESTERN
Head coach: Susanne Bohen, third season
Returning lettermen: Four
Top golfers: Raymond Falkenstein (Sr.), Calvin Crittenden (Sr.)
Outlook: Falkenstein qualified for the state meet last year and joined Crittenden as individual qualifiers for the Southern Region meet.
They lead a short list of four returnees for the Warriors.
