Anyone following the Sedona Red Rock High School golf team this season should get used to the players that they see. Most of them will be around for a while.
While there are some golfers who might still join the team, the lineup that coach Mike Webster currently has is filled with underclassmen.
Still, Webster expects that the Scorpions will do well against the competition they’re lined up to face.
“Looking over everything for our season, we should do pretty well this year, I would think,” Webster said. “Against the other schools, I think we’ll do OK. I think they’re all in the same grouping as us.”
The No. 1 golfer entering the season will likely be sophomore Cameron Stewart. Behind him in the lineup is a group of golfers that includes freshman Zain Raimonde and sophomores Dorian Stevens and Carter Parlin-Hanzel. Sedona also figures to have two newcomers, with sophomores Zander Chesney and Robert Brooks transferring over from Mingus. Chesney played some for the Marauders last school year. With that, he must sit out for the first half [six] of SRRHS’ matches. Brooks, however, didn’t play as a freshman and will be eligible to play immediately.
Regardless of where Sedona’s record ends up, Webster hopes that his young golfers lower their scores and get better as the year progresses. To that end, he’s started the early season practices with putting drills.
“My biggest thing this year is putting — putting and chipping,” Webster said. “The short game, we’ve got to get it. That’s what hurt us last year as far as some scores, some individual scores.”
“Every practice we’ve had so far, the first half hour has been all putting drills,” he added. “Last year I tried to stress that. But these kids they get out there and this is boring. Ten minutes into it, they’re like ‘Coach can we go hit some balls?’ Then they just lose interest and you can’t get them motivated. This year they’ve been good about it.”
Among the tournaments that Webster is most anticipating is the White Mountain Invite on Friday, April 23 and Saturday, April 24. The team went last year and performed better than expected. The team is also looking forward to its two trips to Antelope Hills Golf Course. The first of those will come in a match against Chino Valley on Wednesday, March 4. The second will come at the High Desert Invite on Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18.
The Scorpions won’t need to wait long to get a barometer. Sedona will open against teams from Bagdad, Basis and Northland Prep Academy. Webster noted that the NPA team should probably be considered the Division III, Section V favorites. That match will be held at Agave Highlands on Tuesday, March 3 at 2:30 p.m.
