Gila Ridge again the local golf program to beat this fall

In recent years, Gila Ridge has without question had the top boys and girls golf teams in the Yuma Union High School District.

With key returners back for both of the Hawks’ squads, that figures to again be the case this fall.

The 2018 golf season opened last week for a few teams and Tuesday for others. Here’s a look at each of the local teams this year:

Division II Section III

James Kuzniak (6th season)

Gila Ridge has qualified for the Division II state tournament three straight years, and is the only YUHSD boys golf team to qualify for state during that time.

This season, the Hawks return the reigning Yuma Sun/Yuma Rotary Club Boys Golfer of the Year in senior who posted a 37.9 scoring average last regular season and is off to a solid start this year following a 2-under 34 at Desert Hills on Tuesday.

Also back from last year’s Gila Ridge lineup is senior whose regular-season scoring average was 44.4 a year ago and is 40.5 through two rounds this year.

“David and Mason are the leaders of the team and give us a very formidable 1-2 presence at the top,” Kuzniak said.

Rounding out the Hawks’ lineup are junior (rounds of 53, 44 so far), a transfer from Toronto, sophomore (41, 44) and junior (44, 42). “We have definitely had a tremendous amount of success the last three seasons and that’s a credit to the players we have had,” Kuzniak said. “What has worked