One-man team prepared for Sunrise Region tournament

High school golf is an individual support masquerading as a team sport.

Your teammates can’t help you make a shot and can’t play defense on an opponent. But they can offer support and help challenge you throughout the season.

And that’s what Chaparral senior Rick Carrillo has been missing this year.

Carrillo is not only an individual but Chaparral’s entire team.

“They’re just getting a little bit more support,” he said of his opponents who play on full teams.

Carrillo will represent himself and Chaparral at the Sunrise Region tournament today at Dragon Ridge Country Club. Today’s first round is set for noon. The final round will be Thursday at Mountain Falls Golf Club in Pahrump.

“It was kind of disappointing not having a team,” Carrillo said. “But I had the support of my coach and my family. It just feels great.”

Not only was Carrillo Chaparral’s only golfer this season, but the school lost its home course when Stallion Mountain closed, forcing Carrillo to scramble for a place to practice.

“It’s just been a little rough practicing three to four times a week now from practicing every day at Stallion,” Carrillo said.

Still, Carrillo said he has dropped nearly 10 strokes from his average since last season.

He shot 77.3 during Northeast League matches this season after scoring mostly in the mid- to high 80s last year.

“I was really focused,” Carrillo said. “This was a breakthrough year for me with my swing. It’s been really great just working with (Chaparral coach Howard) Loosbroock and my swing coach to finally get to this point. I’m shooting in the 70s, which is pretty good.”

Carrillo hopes shooting in the 70s will be good enough to claim a berth at next week’s Class 4A state tournament in Sparks. The top two teams and top five individuals from nonqualifying teams will advance to state. Carrillo missed making the state tournament cut by two strokes last season.

“All four years now I’ve made it to regionals, and I just wanted to go to state,” Carrillo said. “This is my biggest goal now.”

The Sunset Region tournament will begin at 1 p.m. today at Badlands Golf Course. The tournament concludes Thursday at Mountain Falls in Pahrump, with the top two teams and top five individuals not on those teams going to state.