SUNSET GOLF: Aggies in control after opening round

Arbor View golf coach David Fish has had two girls teams win Sunset Region titles in his 10 years at the school.

Now he hopes his boys will break through after taking an early lead Tuesday.

Arbor View has a 381-391 advantage over Palo Verde after the first round of the Sunset Region tournament at Canyon Gate Country Club. Bishop Gorman is six strokes behind at 397.

The tournament concludes Wednesday at Reflection Bay Golf Club.

“It would be great so the girls could stop making fun of them,” Fish joked. “My team just has to learn how to win. We’ve never gotten over that hurdle at region. We’ve come in third a million times, but we’ve never come in that top two position for the boys. I’m hoping we can close it out tomorrow.”

Van Thomas, the defending state individual champion, and Sam Dickey each placed in the top five to help the Aggies rally and take the lead on the back nine.

Thomas ended the day in second at par 72, and Dickey was tied for third after a 73.

“At one point, I saw that we were down 12 strokes,” Fish said. “We weren’t playing very well at all, but the kids calmed down a little bit and went for pars. Just playing consistent. I think our experience, in the end, kind of helped out a little bit.”

Cameron Gambini (76), Tyler Branton (79) and Cole Christensen (81) rounded out the team scoring for Arbor View, which finished third in last season’s Sunset Region tournament behind Palo Verde and Gorman.

Palo Verde sophomore Jack Trent led all golfers at 1-under. Despite being the only golfer to break par, Trent was critical of his performance after bogeying holes 17 and 18.

“I hit the ball in play, didn’t hit enough greens,” said Trent, who was 3-under at the turn. “It was hard to putt, chip and read the greens. I started off good, but I didn’t really do anything great.”

Gorman’s Christian James and Desert Oasis’ Syouta Wakisaka each shot 73.

Arbor View’s Gambini, Cimarron-Memorial’s Brandon Smith, Gorman’s Owen Rosebeck, Palo Verde’s Spencer Collet and Shadow Ridge’s Tanner Johnson are tied for sixth at 76.

Contact reporter Ashton Ferguson at aferguson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0430. Follow him on Twitter: @af_ferguson.