RHS golf brings home the blue map for first year coach
Coming into a good situation is one thing, but taking that situation going to the next level is something special.
The Russellville boys golf team topped the field last Tuesday at Magnolia Grove Golf Course in Mobile, Ala. to take the 2015 5A state championship.
After finishing the first day just one stroke behind leaders, St. Paul’s, Coach Ryan Brewer said he liked his team’s chances and he knew he had a special group.
“I stepped into a really good situation here at Russellville,” Brewer said. “The previous coach had done a really great job building the foundation that was here when I came in.
“Our team is filled with good kids, from good families, and really good golfers,” Brewer said. “This was a really good group and I knew we could have a really great year.”
Brewer said going into the final tournament they had their eyes on Guntersville and focused on shooting good rounds.
“We knew those guys at Guntersville could shoot lights out,” Brewer said. “We had seen them at sub-state and we kind of wanted to focus on playing better than them.”
After the first day the Golden Tigers were well ahead of Guntersville and most of the field, but they found themselves one shot back of the leaders.
“Going into the tournament I felt good about our chances as a team to win it,” Brewer said. “We got down there on Friday and had a couple of practice rounds over the weekend. I liked the way the guys were striking the ball, the pace of play and the rhythm. They were playing well.”
Brewer said going into the final round one shot off of the lead helped his team mentally.
“I’ve been there before and I’ve been with a team that was four shots up on the field,” Brewer said. “I think that can have an effect mentally. But this time we were able to approach it differently.
“I told the guys that we were in the best position to win this thing,” Brewer said. “I told them the stage was set for us to do something pretty special.”
Ask any golfer and they will tell you that the most important and perhaps the most difficult thing to do is be consistent. Brewer said his team was just that and held it through the most important part of the season.
“If you’re not consistent you lose,” Brewer said. “It’s as simple as that.
“Our top golfers really played well and kept our scores low,” Brewer said. “Josh Seal shot one of his best rounds of the season on day two and we had four scores in the 70s on day one, which was very important for our success.”
Brewer said the seniors and some of the other leaders on the team came together at the right time as well in order to propel the team forward.
“Golf is kind of weird because it is such an individual game,” Brewer said. “But late in the season I really started seeing guys out at practice or out on the course really encouraging each other and picking each other up. They all started forming the team aspect when we needed it and that went a long way to helping us be successful.”
Day one scores for the Golden Tigers were: Eli Hodges 73, Blake Bendall 78, Luke Bendall 79, Joshua Seal 79, Cameron DeArman 85. Day two scores for RHS were: Eli Hodges 72, Joshua Seal 74, Luke Bendall 79, Blake Bendall 80, Cameron DeArman 87. The team total for day one was 309 and the Golden Tigers shot a 305 on day two to take the 5A state championship.
