BY KAYLA GATES
With the 2019-2020 season readily underway, a few select CCHS students are trading in their afternoons for time spent on the golf course. The varsity girls’ and boys’ teams’ recent tournament success has given the players ambition for the remainder of the school year.
The Cowboys took on South Broward and Nova high schools on Wednesday, September 18 directly after school. The tournament was held right around the corner at Cooper Colony Country Club, which is the CCHS team’s preferred practice location.
The boys’ team was comprised of six players at Wednesday’s meet. Members included junior Alejandro Arteta, sophomore Joshua Jontiff and freshman Zachary Canfield. Sophomores Adam Avin and Zachary Bauers finished with the team’s lowest scores, earning 39 and 37 points, respectively. The Cowboys’ results allowed them to defeat both opponents.
“We have a really solid team with plenty of talent,” Avin said. “Hopefully we can take how we played at this match and put it towards states, because that’s the goal.”
“We have a really solid team with plenty of talent.”
One of the tournament’s top scorers was sophomore Ruan De Villiers, who finished with 29 points. His achievement does not come as a surprise to most. De Villiers’ success in the sport last year allowed him to qualify and compete for the state championship as a freshman.
As for the girls’ team, three students represented CCHS at Wednesday’s tournament. Competitors included sophomore Mackenzie Sauer and freshman Nadea Leroux. The Cowboys managed to top South Broward but ultimately lost to Nova.
The girls were anything but discouraged by the results of Wednesday’s tournament. The team is comprised completely of new members, as CCHS graduate Kelly Buker was the sole female golfer last season. The girls acknowledged that their coordination remains a work in progress.
“Every match is a great learning experience.”
“For being a newly developing team, I feel like our performance has greatly improved over the season,” Sauer said. “Every match is a great learning experience.”
Both teams faced a quick turnaround, as CCHS was scheduled to compete once again on Thursday, September 19. The tournament was held at Flamingo Lakes Country Club directly after school. The Cowboys took on Western High School, but finished with a loss.
Despite their progress, the CCHS golf team still faces a long season ahead. They will continue to participate in local tournaments over the course of the next month. They hope that the experience will prepare them for the district and regional championships scheduled for late October.
“The expectations for each of the teams are a little bit different,” coach Warren Denise said. “We’re looking for some championships with the boys, and [with the] girls, we’re just trying to establish our team.”
Photo by Anabella Garcia
