Marble Falls golf program begins fall schedule

CAPTION: Rylee Ritchie returns for his final year where he is aiming to get the Mustangs back to the regional tournament. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

The Marble Falls High School golf program competed in two tournaments last week.

The Mustangs played in the Bobby Peschel Memorial hosted by Salado Oct. 8 where they finished fifth overall. Junior Camilo Montez, who was the runner-up in the District 24-3A individual standings and is the team’s No. 1 golfer, finished seventh overall in the individual standings.

Other members include senior Rylee Ritchie, junior Beckett Berkman, sophomore John Srnensky and freshman Gage Goebel.

Head coach Adley Canales noted the boys tournament was 27 holes instead of the traditional 18 holes. And golfers don’t use carts – they walk from one hole to the next.

“It was another stacked tournament,” he said. “Round Rock (High) had two teams, Georgetown, Cedar Park (High), (Leander) Rouse – all the big schools were there. Our boys played well.”

He pointed out Marble Falls had the best team finish of the Class 4A members in the tournament.

“There was nothing to hang our heads about,” he said. “We played well. Gage played well for his first big tournament. He didn’t look like a freshman. We want to see them continue to build and help build toward district.”

The Mustangs are projecting to have 13 golfers.

“It’s extremely competitive,” the coach said. “Scores and the teams may change because (University Interscholastic League) states that you can only have five per team. So we just take our best five week to week, and we’re still working on trying to figure out who those are, and we get them from tournament scores and practice scores. And fortunately for us, we don’t have to be finalized on a team until late March or early April for district.”

Junior Alexis Sprott competed at the Lady Dawg Golf Tournament hosted by Burnet High School Oct. 7 at Delaware Springs Golf Course where she shot a 103. Senior Cali Brydon also is playing in the fall.

Canales noted other Lady Mustangs are playing volleyball right now, which is in the second round of District 24-4A play.

“It’s been good,” he said. “The girls are improving every week. We’re using the fall to build toward the spring. We want them to continue to build, and hopefully peak at district.”

This tournament drew teams from powerhouse programs including Dripping Springs, Georgetown, Lake Travis, Mason, Liberty Hill, Westlake and district foes Lampasas, Salado and the host.

“I thought it was good they were playing with good golfers,” Canales said. “We want them to be in a competitive situation where they have to push themselves. It was a good stacked tournament.”

Marble Falls will host its own boys tournament Friday and Saturday, Oct. 17-18, at Hidden Falls Golf Club in Meadowlakes. Canales said the tournament will have 22 teams including Austin High, Del Rio, Lake Travis, Ozona and Round Rock.

“It’ll be a big tournament with good competition,” he said. “And that’s what we want for our boys.”

The Lady Mustangs will compete in a tournament Oct. 22 at Lady Bird Johnson Golf Course in Fredericksburg.