Kyle Jones And SHS Lobos Earn 3A State Golf Titles

By Greg Perkins
   Paced by individual first place medalist Kyle Jones, the Snowflake Lobos claimed the 3A state golf championship after 36 holes of competition on Monday and Tuesday at the Fort Mohave Los Lagos Golf Club. As a team, the Lobos turned a five-shot lead through 18 holes one into a 15-stroke team victory over River Valley with a 625 total compared to 640 for the Dust Devils.
   Wickenburg placed third with 653, followed by Estrella Foothills with 665, Blue Ridge, 677, Safford, 682, Show Low, 699, Winslow, 722, Florence, 723, Parker, 729, Sedona, 738, Globe, 738, Payson, 745, Fountain Hills, 790, and Coolidge, 799.
   Jones shot an even par round of 72 on the first day to stay in a tie with Wickenburg’s Paul Wells and one shot ahead of River Valley’s Jesse Adkison. That one shot turned out to be huge on the second day. Wells carded a second round 79 to take himself out of contention, but Adkinson stayed close, posting a final round 71 to finish at an even par 144.
   Jones was able to match that 71 on the second day and finished with a two-day total of 143, one under par to take the state title.
   Helping the Lobos win the team title and sharing medalist honors were Parker McDonald, who shot 76 on the first day and 78 on the second to finish in fifth place overall, and Nick Routhier, who posted an 84 on day one but came back strong with a 78 on day two to place sixth overall. Tanner Stratton shot 93 on day one and carded a 79 on the second day. Tyson Webb posted 87 on the first day and also shot a 79 on the second day.
   Holbrook’s Quayla Skevington shot a two-day total of 176 with an 86 on the first day followed by a 90 on day two to place 35th overall.