The girls golf team won their first district championship in school history at Avery Ranch Golf Course on March 28.
“We’re making school history for the first time and there’s no feeling like it,” sophomore Madeline Logan said. “I was so scared because this was the first year we went into districts knowing we have a big chance at winning, so all of that pressure built up and it was stressful.”
The team broke their previous record with the combined team score of 328 the first day and 331 the second.
“Girls athletics has really been one of those key concepts here at Rouse High School,” Coach Michael Hjort said. “At the district level, they really worked on putting, making sure that they were very consistent. Ball striking was really good and they all kind of came together for two straight days of really good golf.”
With six teams competing in total, the girls secured the title by 47 shots.
“I’m very proud of the girls because I feel like we’ve been in the best shape we have ever been,” senior Ashley Kim said. “This year the girls did a very good job and I feel like that’s a really great thing.”
In the girls tournament, junior Nayelli Santana placed second individually.
”District for me, was one of my best rounds I’ve ever played,” Santana said. “When I was playing my first round it kind of seemed easy but the second round was where I had to fight to get second place.”
After hitting a flier, senior Ashley Kim reacts in disbelief. Kim played at the district tournament held at the Avery Ranch Golf Club where her team won the championship. “Last year, although we qualified for regionals we were second place,” Kim said. “So when I finally held the trophy this year at district it was very meaningful since it’s my last year.”
Focused on sending the ball over and across the bridge, junior Dakota Brewster tees off. Brewster shot a 76 on day one, her lowest round yet in the season. “After day one [at district], we were really confident that we were going to take the championship,” Brewster said. “It was the happiest I’ve ever seen our team and the closest we’ve ever been. It was euphoric.”
After analyzing possible shots, senior Luis Aguado Escandon sends the ball towards the hole. In the district tournament the boys team became champions for the third time in a row. “Coming into my final hole, I was playing well and I knew my teammates were playing well,” Aguado Escandon said. “It brought a lot of emotions because it was going to be my last district tournament so being able to win was really special to me.”
Junior Nayelli Santana competes at the district championship. Aside from competing, Santana also teaches young kids. “It’s very inspirational knowing that I’m developing somebody who’s going to be better than me one day,” Santana said. “Which is the goal to make someone better, so one day they can teach other people.”
The boys golf team won their third district championship in a row, which set a new record and built a new winning streak for the team.
“I was really happy because it had never been done before and I was a part of it all three years,” senior Gabriel Cramer. “We were just excited because we knew we had a chance to make history.”
At the regional tournament held in McAllen, Texas, the boys team placed fifth and the girls placed seventh.
“Both teams struggled on the first day which disappointed me and they disappointed themselves,” Hjort said. “What I was proud of is that on day two, they both came back and shot better scores. We didn’t meet the goal that we wanted, but it allowed us to see that if we actually play well, we have a chance and that’s what we were able to take out of regionals this year.”