DQ costs Piedra Vista the boys crown
ROSWELL — The second day of the Class 6A state golf tournament had a little bit of everything: wind, rain, weather delays, a runaway repeat champion and a playoff to decide the individual boys title.
Looming in a huge way over all of that was a disqualification that cost Piedra Vista’s boys a championship.
“I’m happy that we won,” said Cleveland High’s Alejandro Armijo, “but I’m disappointed in the way we won. They did outplay us.”
The Storm was an unexpected champion when it was discovered that Piedra Vista’s No. 4, Darius Martinez, signed for an incorrect scorecard.
He signed for a 79; it is believed he actually shot 80.
And with him DQ’d, the Panthers were instead compelled to count a
score of 91 from their No. 5 player, which in turn handed Cleveland a three-shot victory.
Had Martinez signed for an 80, Piedra Vista would have won comfortably, by eight shots. Instead it finished second.
“I have mixed emotions right now,” Storm coach Jimmy Tillery said. “My stomach is hurting for PV.”
While DQs do happen at state periodically, this had to rate as one of biggest gaffes in the history of the tournament.
“You never know what’s gonna take place,” Tillery said.
Cleveland joined the La Cueva girls as team champions on a breezy and sometimes rainy day at the Nancy Lopez Golf Course at Spring River.
There was even an hourlong delay near the finish, with only two groups left on the course.
After everyone returned and holed out, Storm sophomore Jacque Galloway, with rounds of 71 and 73 for a 2-over total of 144, had whipped the field by 14 shots for her second straight state title. Teammate Elexiss Gutierrez was the runner-up.
But Galloway was not pleased with her ball striking. Not Monday, and not Tuesday. Especially her wayward driver.
“I’m ready to get back into practice and gear up for the summer,” she said.
Galloway sounded more pleased about Gutierrez’s finish than her own.
“I’m really proud of Lexi,” Galloway said. “I just wanted to compete against myself, see if I could come in under par.”
Volcano Vista senior Ben Wells, who has been playing competitive golf for only three years, outlasted Gadsden junior Travis Olson in a three-hole aggregate playoff after both completed regulation at 144, 2-over.
Olson bogeyed Nos. 1 and 2 and parred No. 3. Wells bogeyed the first, but parred the next two holes. Olson had a chance to extend to sudden death, but barely missed a 12-foot birdie putt on the third green. That was the same length putt Wells drained on his 18th hole, a putt he didn’t know at the time would be so significant.
“It’s crazy,” Wells said. “At the beginning of this season, I was not thinking of winning state. I was just thinking of qualifying.”
The La Cueva girls overcame first-day leader Cleveland and ended up beating runner-up Las Cruces by three strokes.
“It’s so exciting,” said Bears freshman Kennedi Rose, who was fourth individually. “I’ve never felt like this before.”