Region first for Desert Oasis girls

Allison Weiderman would love to extend her junior season and get the Desert Oasis girls golf team into next week’s state tournament at her favorite course, Bear’s Best.

To do so, the Diamondbacks must finish first or second at the Sunset Region tournament today at Summerlin’s bunker-filled Siena Golf Course. The event begins at noon. The Sunrise Region and the Division I-A Southern Region tournament both are at Boulder Creek beginning at 11 a.m. Thursday.

Desert Oasis is one of three teams competing for state qualification and the Sunset title, alongside league rival Bishop Gorman and the Northwest’s Palo Verde.

“It’ll be challenging with the other schools, (but) I feel really confident going into the match,” Weiderman said.

Weiderman, who swings lefty and putts righty, has been playing golf since she was 12.

“It was really hard at first to hit the ball,” Weiderman said. “Just the fact that it was so hard, I wanted to be good. I would hit wiffle balls in the back yard.”

Her coach, Ken Gibson, appreciates all the hard work Weiderman has put in to become such a vital piece to his team’s success.

“She’s somebody the other girls look up to,” he said.

“Allison’s a great kid. I love being around her. She’s always got a positive attitude. She works at her game really hard (and) she’s always trying to improve and get better.”

During the regular season, Gibson had four girls place in the top 10 of the Southwest League’s stroke average. Weiderman finished second overall, averaging a 79.0 for 18 holes. Only Cimarron-Memorial’s Aspen Bryant (76.4) had a better stroke average among Sunset Region golfers.

Weiderman and her teammates are itching for another crack at Bear’s Best, the same site of last year’s regional tournament.

Although they finished fourth (386) and 50 strokes behind champion Arbor View, Gibson said his team would benefit greatly if they returned.

“If we can get past next week, my girls are pretty comfortable there,” he said.

Weiderman is poised to do her part for the Diamondbacks at Siena, a course she’s played before. Gibson said the two would spend some time going through the holes to know the smart plays.

“I don’t want to take a conservative approach, but I want to stay away from the big numbers,” Gibson said. “We’re going to make some good course management decisions.”

Weiderman said she has matured a lot from last year.

“I’m a lot better,” Weiderman said. “I’m more mentally there with the game. I know what to do in certain situations. I’m smarter with saving strokes when I get in trouble, and I’m more consistent.”

Contact reporter Ashton Ferguson at aferguson@reviewjournal.com or at 702-380-0430.