SUNSET: Ballew guides Arbor View to first title

Another medal is on the way to the family trophy case.

Kiley Ballew shot 5-over-par 76 to win the Division I Sunset Region tournament by two strokes Wednesday at Bear’s Best.

“It really feels good, because (Alyssa) can’t brag about it any more, like she has been,” Kiley Ballew said with a smile. “That feels good.”

What also felt good for Ballew was a team trophy.

The senior helped the Aggies top Bishop Gorman for the Sunset team crown, 336-367. Both teams advanced to the state tournament, which will be held Monday and Tuesday at Wildcreek in Sparks.

Ballew sank a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-4 ninth hole to finish the front nine with a 36.

“I was putting really well today, which saved me a lot of the time because I could get on the green and managed to two-putt on every green,” said Ballew, who also birdied the par-4 11th. “I didn’t hit too many crazy shots. I kept it in the fairway a lot, and that helped me out.”

Gorman junior Katie DeJesus shot 78 and took second on a scorecard playoff over Arbor View senior Ashley Money and Gorman senior Melissa Cayne.

Cimarron-Memorial senior Arianna Bryant (81) placed fifth, and her sister, Cimarron junior Aspen Bryant (82), took sixth.

In addition to Ballew and Money, Shaylee Hollan (89) and Betsy Branton (93) helped propel the Aggies to their first region team title.

“I told them going into the tournament that we hadn’t played to our potential,” Arbor View coach David Fish said. “We just had to be good today; we didn’t have to be great. To come in with a 336 today was what I knew they could do just by playing smart.”

Fish said Ballew missed practice and match time this season while battling stress fractures in both her feet, adding to Wednesday’s championship.

“(Ballew) wanted to win this badly,” Fish said. “Her determination and playing smart shots made the difference.”

Money, who birdied the fifth and eighth holes, said she wasn’t bothered by windy conditions, nor on-and-off light rain.

“I actually like the weather like this. Coming from Minnesota, I’m used to all this wind and stuff,” she said. “Everyone was complaining in my group, and I’m like, ‘I like this.’ I think it added something fun to the tournament.”

Gorman edged Palo Verde for the second and final berth to state, 367-370. Desert Oasis took fourth at 386, and Centennial was fifth at 388.

Kara Moore shot 105 for Gorman, and teammate Maddy Black carded 106.

Gorman coach Jim Stanfill called Black’s performance gutsy considering the junior had been fighting tonsillitis and a fever.

“That’s the difference in us going to state or not going to state,” Stanfill said.

Individuals who qualified for state were: both Bryant sisters, Desert Oasis’ Allison Weiderman (85) and Ashley Malone (88), and Centennial’s Larissa Munoz (88).