Sunrise Mountain Takes Three-Stroke Victory Over Deer Valley

Sunrise Mountain came away with the team victory in a three-school boys varsity golf match against Deer Valley and Raymond S. Kellis on August 25 at Sun City South Golf Course in Sun City.

The nine-hole match developed into a close battle between Sunrise Mountain and Deer Valley. The Mustangs finished with a team score of 167 (+23), just three strokes ahead of the Skyhawks, who took second with a 170 (+26). Raymond S. Kellis finished third at 245 (+101).

Sunrise Mountain senior Dylan Cox led the entire field with the best individual round of the day. Cox carded a 38 (+2) to earn first place overall and give the Mustangs a strong score at the top of their lineup.

Cox played the opening hole at even par before giving up two strokes on the second. He responded immediately, playing the third hole at par and recording a birdie on the fourth hole to move back to one-over. Cox followed with pars on holes five through eight before closing with a bogey on the ninth, finishing his round at two-over.

Deer Valley junior Glover Hammock kept the Skyhawks close with a 39 (+3), finishing second overall and only one stroke behind Cox. Hammock opened with three consecutive bogeys before settling in and recording four consecutive pars on holes four through seven. He then produced one of his biggest moments of the round with a birdie on the eighth hole before a bogey on nine completed his three-over round.

Deer Valley also claimed third place individually behind senior Collin Lohman, who shot a 41 (+5). Lohman was two-over through the first four holes before finishing the fifth with a bogey. He remained steady through the middle of the round and closed at five-over, giving Deer Valley two of the top three individual golfers.

Sunrise Mountain answered with additional depth immediately behind Deer Valley's top two. Sophomore Shane Liebeck shot a 42 (+6) to finish fourth, while sophomore Karter Barnes recorded a 43 (+7) for fifth place.

Sophomore Hayden Lime gave Sunrise Mountain another strong round with a 44 (+8), tying Deer Valley senior Hunter Brokschmidt, who also finished at 44. Their matching scores placed them in a tie for sixth.

Deer Valley Trey Wenk and senior Chris Wang each recorded a 46 (+10), tying for eighth overall. Sunrise Mountain senior Van Taylor followed with a 47 (+11) to round out the Mustangs' five-player lineup.

Raymond S. Kellis was led by freshman Lucas Shelton, who posted a 55 (+19) to finish 11th overall. Freshman Austin Peterson followed with a 61 (+25), while freshman Dominik Adams finished with a 64 (+28). Senior Daniel Cerka recorded a 65 (+29), and sophomore Sharp Kyle completed the Cougars' lineup with a 72 (+36).

The difference in the team race came from Sunrise Mountain's ability to place multiple golfers near the top of the leaderboard. The Mustangs had three golfers finish inside the individual top five, led by Cox's first-place 38, Liebeck's fourth-place 42 and Barnes' fifth-place 43.

Deer Valley countered with two of the top three individual rounds behind Hammock and Lohman, keeping the Skyhawks within striking distance. When the final scores were counted, however, Sunrise Mountain's 167 was enough to hold off Deer Valley's 170 and secure the three-stroke victory.