The Aledo Ladycats and Bearcats have plenty of state tournament appearances between the two teams. However, getting both to state in the same season has not been all that common.
Before last season, one has to go back to 2017 for the previous duo appearance. They both also appeared together at state in 2015, with the Ladycats finishing third and Cheyenne Knight, now on the LPGA Tour, winning the individual championship.
The teams are seeking a second consecutive state tournament berth together next week as they compete in their respective Class 5A Region 1 Tournaments at Texas Tech’s Rawls Golf Course in Lubbock. The girls will play Monday and Tuesday, April 17-18, and the boys will hit the links Wednesday and Thursday, April 19-20.
The top three teams, along with the three lowest-scoring medalists, will advance to state at the Whitewing Golf Club in Georgetown. The girls state tournament is May 15-16 and the boys state tourney is May 22-23.
Since 2012, the Ladycats have reached nine times, missing only in 2019 and again in 2020, when there was no state tournament because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the 2020 team won the Region 1 Preview Tournament and was a projected third seed at state.
Since 2015 the Bearcats have advanced to state four times, also missing in 2020 because of the pandemic. Along with 2015 and last season they also qualified as a team in 2017 and 2019.
Since 2011 Aledo has had at least one team compete at state every season, except for the pandemic season.
But, as first-year coach Brian Mourning noted, nothing can be taken for granted.
“Both groups are going to have to play well in order to get to state,” Mourning said, noting that in the girls regional bracket, “Argyle, Lubbock Cooper, Amarillo, Grapevine are all teams that are going to field strong teams.”
As for the boys’ field, he added, “Argyle, Lubbock Cooper, Amarillo, Burleson Centennial are few of the other teams that are really strong.”
To get to state, teams are going to have to best the notorious West Texas weather that can include cold weather, sudden drops in temperature, and extreme winds — which can include any combination of the three. Then, too, Rawls is simply a very tough golf course.
“The Rawls course is different from any course we play around here. It’s a pretty long course and with wind always playing a role, it could definitely make it even tougher,” Mourning said. “Hopefully, we can catch a day or two out there when the winds are going to be low.”
Then, as most folks do following such hopeful statements, he added with a laugh, “That’s doubtful. The good thing is that other teams are going to have to play in the same conditions as us.”
The Ladycats played in a regional preview on Rawls March 10-11, finishing second.
The Ladycats and Bearcats qualified for regionals by each winning District 5-5A convincingly on the Sugar Tree Golf Course last month. The Ladycats won by 105 strokes over runner-up Granbury, shooting a 675, while the Bearcats’ 637 score was 40 strokes better than second-place Wichita Falls Rider.
Both Aledo teams had the low medalist at district also. Braylon Mahanay shot a two-over-par 146 (72-74) for the boys and Kyla Morales posted a 163 (82-81) for the girls.
In fact, the Ladycats had five of the six lowest scores individually at district with Sana’a Lemen shooting 166 (83-83) for second, Emily Crick was fourth with a 173 (88-85), Mallory Miller was fifth at 176 (83-93) and Maddi Warner was sixth with a 181 (91-90).
The Bearcats’ Dylan Kiser was second to Mahanay, shooting 155 (75-80) and Jett Moore was seventh individually with a 165 (80-85). Also at district, Jake Phillips shot 174 (88-86) and Bradon Stokes came in with a 178 (85-93).
The four lowest individual rounds each comprise the team score for that day.
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