Crick headed back to state

It just wouldn’t seem like a state golf tournament without someone from Aledo competing.

Emily Crick made sure that longstanding tradition continues as she is returning to the Girls Class 5A State Golf Tournament. The Ladycats junior qualified individually from the Region I Tournament this past Monday and Tuesday at Lubbock’s Lake Ridge Country Club.

This is her second time in three years to be competing at state. She was part of the entire Ladycats team that qualified in 2023.

Crick posted a 36-hole two-day score of 153 (74-79). She was fifth individually and had the second lowest score among players not on an advancing team. Joshua’s Kaylee Yuan was the low medalist with a 151, finishing in a three-way tie for the overall top spot with Jumee Lee and Audrey McCallum of Colleyville Heritage.

The Ladycats team placed fourth with a 693. They were tied with Grapevine for third after the opening day with a 344 and finished with a 349 on the second day.

Amarillo won the tournament with a 638 (322-316), followed by Colleyville Heritage at 642 (332-310) and Grapevine at 673 (344-329). The top three teams and top three individuals not on those teams qualified for state April 28-29 at Legacy Hills Golf Club in Georgetown.

“If you had told me after the regional preview we’d have been tied for third after Day 1, I’d have been been surprised, but I’m so proud of the girls for fighting like they did,” Aledo coach Brian Mourning said.

The Ladycats struggled in the regional preview on the same course in early March.

As expected, the often unpredictable West Texas winds had to be dealt with in the tournament. Mourning said they were out of the south during the practice round, from the north on the first day and out of the south again on the final day.

“We’ve been hit by it all,” he said. “But all I wanted was a shot on Day 2 and we had that.

“The dryness out here, it affects you. Your body has to acclimate.”

He stressed his joy in Crick going back to state.

“She definitely earned it. She’s really excited,” he said. “I told her we’ll be in Georgetown and she laughed and said, ‘No wind!’”

As to whether Crick will have company, that was being decided at press time as the Aledo boys were playing in their Region I Tournament on the same course. The Boys State Tournament is also at Legacy Hills May 5-6.

The Bearcats and Ladycats qualified for regionals by winning their respective District 5-5A Tournaments at Cross Timbers Golf Course in Azle.