Golf Preview: Winning Gila Valley Region title not a one-player job

Austin Magdaleno is smart enough and humble enough to admit he's not the best golfer at Cibola High School.

He also understands his spot on the team might be the toughest one to keep.

"We've got a lot of good players, so it'll just be hard to stay on the varsity team," Magdaleno said.

But as a returning member of the Raiders' golf team, he's also seen that in high school golf, it's not all about being No. 1. Magdaleno and other No. 5 players' scores will likely be the difference makers for the team that wins the Gila Valley Region and the ones which qualify for state.

"Golf is just like cross country," said Kofa girls golf coach Eric Krepps. "Your No. 1's and No. 2's are always going to be leading the pack, but it's the fours and fives that bring home the wins."

Last year's 5A-II boys state championship speaks directly to Krepps' point. When Kingman and Horizon finished the two-day tournament with the same team total, it was No. 5 golfer Kenny Duford's score that was used as a tiebreaker to give the Bulldogs the title.

Kofa's boys and girls teams are the defending Gila Valley Region champions, and both bring back solid players to fill the No. 5 roles. Amy Gonzalez occupied the Lady Kings' fifth spot most of last year and saw her team use her score when her teammates struggled.

"The girls once or twice will have a bad day, so I know I have to try my best," she said. "Even if they don't use my score, I'm determined to beat the girls in my group, and that gives me a lot of motivation."

Brothers Sam and Adam Whitmer played in the No. 4 and No. 5 spots a year ago and expect to do the same this year. While the top-tier players in Arizona - like teammate Martin Salgado - are thinking pars and birdies on every hole, Sam and Adam's bogey-average scores are quality - and valuable - team numbers coaches will gladly take.

"They were there last year, and I hope they don't put any undue pressure on themselves," Kofa boys coach Roger Ramirez said. "You just try to convince them to relax and play their games, and the scores will gradually go lower."

Magdaleno will be one of the few experienced golfers the Cibola boys return this year to round out their lineup, but he has four of five players behind him fighting for that last spot. The same goes for Gila Ridge, a scenario coach David Schultz says is a good problem to have.

"We can go a little further this year down the depth chart," he said. "Everyone is more familiar with the game and they can have more fun because none of them have to field too much of the pressure."