Sedona Red Rock High School’s eighth-ranked golf team played a pair of Division III Section V matches last week.
The Scorpions [14-3] started April 17 against Camp Verde High School at Verde Santa Fe Golf Course.
On April 17, the team won by a landslide, 169 to 227. Red Rock junior Seth Farmer, the No. 8 player in Division III, birdied two of the last four holes to shoot an even-par. Senior Daniel Bouvin shot a 3-over 39, including an eagle on the par-5 seventh, and junior Justin Wassell was seven over to claim the top three individual finishes.
Senior Olivia Webster took fifth overall with a 15-over.
River Valley High School paid a visit to Sedona Golf Resort, a more difficult course than Verde Santa Fe, for a nine-hole round on April 19.
The match was closer than the one held two days prior, with the Dust Devils taking three of the top five individual places.
“Some who played well on Monday did not play well today,” Red Rock coach Mike Webster said. “It’s like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”
But Red Rock came out on top with team total 181 to River Valley’s 192.
“The courses are so much different, at Verde Santa Fe there are no sand traps,” Webster said. “It’s pretty much wide open. This is a lot tighter, the roughs are harder, you get some funky lies out there.”
Farmer again led the way, shooting a 1-under 36 behind two birdies while junior Julian Travaglia carded a 5-over 42 and Olivia Webster was third-best among the Scorpions with an 11-over 48. Bouvin had tough outing, shooting 18-over to make the final contribution to the team’s score.
Sedona Golf Resort’s toughest feature was its greens, which, according to Webster are hard to read.
But for Farmer, his short game was working well, as it has recently.
“My short game was really good today,” he said. “It’s been pretty consistent the last couple of weeks.”
The team is No. 8 in Division III and second highest from Section V, two spots behind Northland Preparatory Academy.
Red Rock was scheduled to compete in the White Mountain Invitational on Friday and Saturday, April 21 and 22, at White Mountain Country Club in Pinetop. After getting a flat tire before reaching Camp Verde, it was decided that the team would not continue the 188-mile journey.
On Tuesday, April 25, the Scorpions traveled to Forest Highlands Golf Club in Flagstaff to face off with Northland Prep and Chino Valley High School. Results were unavailable at press time.
They will return to Sedona Golf Resort for a 3 p.m. tee time with No. 2-ranked Northwest Christian High School on Thursday, April 27.
