Champs — The Rio Hondo Bobcat Golf Team won the District 32-3A title. Head Coach Andy Alvarez is shown standing far left. The team was comprised of Marcus Flores, Noah Villalobos, Tomas Cavazos, Sebastian Gonzalez, and Nathan Sauceda. (Courtesy photo)
By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
RIO HONDO, TEXAS—The Bobcat golf team won district for the first time recently despite weather conditions that challenged its players at season’s end.
Advancing to the regional tournament wasn’t anything new for Rio Hondo, but to do it as district champs was special. And as RHHS Head Coach Andy Alvarez entered the season, he wasn’t sure how they would mesh as individuals, each of them with their own accomplishments on the links.
“I had an individual medalist regional qualifier in (junior) Noah Villalobos returning for the boys as well as senior Tomas Cavasos, who had greatly improved towards the end of last season,” Alvarez said. “I also had freshman Sebastian Gonzalez, who had been playing in the South Texas Junior PGA Tour for a couple of years. So I wasn’t sure what kind of season we were going to have at the beginning.”
Also making up the boys’ team were junior Marcus Flores and freshman Nathan Sauceda. “And both of them had improved tremendously coming into the district tournament,” Alvarez added.
Leading up to the District 32-3A Tournament, Rio Hondo competed in five events. It started with the Lyford Tournament in Raymondville on Jan. 29. The Hidalgo/Valley View Tournament was Feb. 14 in Pharr.
Inclement weather by way of freezing temperatures and flooding affected the rest of the boys’ schedule in February and April.
Pre-district and District Tournament conditions at Llano Grande in Mercedes were not playable enough to finish, Alvarez remembered.
“We were in the middle of our pre-district at Llano Grande when the heavy rains came in. It was pretty crazy. Not only was it rain but lightning as well. With those rainstorms continuing for the next few days, Llano Grande was unplayable,” Alvarez said.
He credits the heady efforts of Santa Rosa ISD Athletics Director Joe Maricharal and Golf Coach Erica Molina for finding a different venue.
“Santa Rosa worked quickly to find us a new location, and luckily Tierra Santa Golf Course in Weslaco was able to accommodate the 32-3A Golf Tournament. And the course was in great shape,” said Alvarez.
It was the second week of April by this time.
“I thought the course played in our favor a little. We practiced at Treasure Hills Golf Course (in Harlingen) all season, and I just figured our golfers could adjust,” Alvarez said.
Gonzalez finished with a 91 score, placing him third in district individually.
Flores shot his personal best 99, which gave him a seventh place finish.
Sitting in the clubhouse and waiting for golfers to trickle in after their competition, Alvarez was cautiously excited.
“As the scores were coming in, I wasn’t sure where we would stand. As all the scores came in, I must of calculated the score three or four times,” he said. “That’s when I realized we won the district title for the boys.”
It was Rio Hondo’s first district title in the 10 years Alvarez had been head coach.
“I want to say it may be possibly the first one ever for our boys’ team,” Alvarez said. “I’ve had two previous teams reach regionals in the past, and several individuals throughout my career, but to actually win it as district champion, it was an awesome feeling.”
On the girls’ team, three seniors played the game for the first time. They were Mia Galvan, Abby Azocar, and Lauren Rincones. The team also had sophomores Cassandra Lozano and Jillianna Sauceda.
“Jillianna played very well during the district tournament, and she advanced to regionals this year,” Alvarez said.
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