Local schools represent

ROSWELL — Spring is in full bloom, and with it came the Roswell Spring Classic, held Monday and Tuesday in Roswell. Clovis’ boys and girls, Portales’ boys and Texico’s girls represented the area in the tournament, held at Spring River on Monday, New Mexico Military Institute on Tuesday.

And it was a good Tuesday for Portales’ boys, who missed the 326 qualifying score Monday by three strokes before firing a 305 Tuesday. Their two-day total of 631 landed the Rams in third place overall.

Portales head coach Matt Hunton thinks familiarity with NMMI’s course may have helped the Rams improve on Tuesday.

“We’ve played it several times the last couple of years with these players,” Hunton said Tuesday. “I always joke with them that it’s more of a home course than Portales because we’ve played at NMMI five or six times over the last two years. It’s a pretty open course.”

There was also an early-Tuesday team discussion.

“Before the round we really talked about getting off to a better start, and they all did,” Hunton said. “Instead of digging a hole early they were all able to stay on top.”

Talon Payne led the way Tuesday with his low score of 70, giving him 147 for the two-day stretch.

“He really played well today from start to finish,” Hunton said. “He was really sick yesterday, so that kind of set him back with that 77, but he played really solid today.”

Payne wound up second individually, as Lovington’s Tres Arreola nudged him out by one stroke.

Portales’ Valen Low coupled an 81 and 77 for a 158. Nate Cota overcame an 89 on Monday with a 75 on Tuesday, giving him 164 for the tournament. And Kenevan Bailey strung together an 82 and 83 for a 165 total.

Clovis had to play Monday with four golfers and shot a 361. According to head coach Dale Fullerton, none of the available golfers putted well, three-putting too often, which helped bring about Monday’s result.

Kolt Bennett did shoot a 77 Monday, placing him well ahead among Clovis’ individual scores. Christian Casaus and Chanse Bhakta each shot 92s, with Ryan Rowley shooting 100.

Bennett stayed fairly consistent on Day 2, shooting a 78 for an overall 155.

Bhakta recovered for a second-day 84, giving him a 176 total. Casaus shot a 95 Tuesday for a 187 total, and Rowley shot a 98 Tuesday for an overall 198.

For the girls, Clovis shot a 368 Monday and 388 Tuesday for a 756 total.

Logan Clayton was the Lady Wildcats’ low golfer each day, shooting an 81 and 89 for a 170 total to tie for sixth overall.

Ashley Maldonado was next, combining a 93 and 98 for 181. Destiny Hodges coupled a 94 with a 93 for 187, and Kassidi Jaramillo had a 100 and 108 for a 208 total.

Texico competed on Tuesday only, shooting a 385.

Kaytlyn Queener was the Lady Wolverines’ low golfer with a 93, followed by Grace McDaniel and Emily DelaRosa with 97s and Macey Tharp with 98.