4A GOLF: Palo Verde’s Jack Trent leads after first day

As Mark Twain so famously wrote, the wind in Washoe Valley is no trifling matter.

Neither is Jack Trent’s golf swing.

Only one of them was on display Monday, however, as Trent, the two-time defending state champion from Palo Verde shot 2-under-par 70 to tie for the lead after the first day of the Class 4A State Boys Golf Championship at Toiyabe Golf Club.

Trent enters Tuesday’s second round tied with Galena’s Conner Motherway, and their teams also are tied for first with team scores of 375.

The leaderboard is bunched up individually, with 10 players within four strokes of the lead, and so too are the team standings.

Coronado is only four strokes back with a team score of 379. Bishop Manogue is fourth at 391, and Faith Lutheran is 17 strokes back with 392.

“I definitely figured it was a four-team, maybe even a five-team race coming in,” Palo Verde assistant and acting head coach Cliff Vanetti said. “We’re in a good spot.”

Trent put himself in good spots most of the day, aside from a double bogey on No. 3 and a bogey on 12, with five birdies.

“I thought I played pretty solid, but I made a mistake on the third hole that cost me two strokes and I missed some putts on a few greens,” Trent said.

Solid was the same adjective Vanetti used to describe Trent’s first round.

“He’s right where we expect him to be,” Vanetti said.

Trent and Motherway played in the same group, the first to tee off, and will be in the last group teeing off Tuesday. Motherway also had five birdies, and Trent said that helped him stay focused.

“We’re pretty much focused on our own game and not talking much, but if you play with people who are shooting big numbers, there’s less motivation,” Trent said. “And just knowing I’ve won this tournament before, there’s a comfort level.”

Galena’s Jay Babu is third with a 71, then a group of five players, that included Cameron Gambini of Arbor View, Cameron Meeks of Palo Verde and Benjamin Sawaia of Coronado all shot 73. Joey Dotta and Dylan Fritz of Coronado each shot 74.

Babu had a chance to make a three-way tie for the lead, but his approach on 18 rolled into a creek and he had to take a drop that cost him a bogey.

The players took advantage of a calm, 60-degree day, with none of the wind Twain dubbed the “Washoe Zephyr.”

“We caught a break with the weather, but tomorrow the elements will be a big factor,” Vanetti said.