Green Valley running away with State 4A golf tournament

LAS VEGAS - Red-hot Green Valley High School came out firing in the first round of the NIAA/U.S. Bank State 4A Girls' Golf Championship on Wednesday, while Carson fell to last in the eight-team field.

Green Valley shot a team score of 393 on the par-72 Canyon Gate Country Club golf course, an average of just more than 78 for its five scoring team members. Carson shot 553 as a team, well behind seventh-place Wooster's 524 effort.

The second and final round will be played today at Canyon Gate. First and second-round scores will be added together for the final total.

Galena suffered a mild upset on the first day. The Grizzlies had easily won each of the Northern 4A tournaments this season, but after Wednesday found themselves fifth, trailing Reno by two strokes. Galena finished with a 481, while Reno had a 479.

The South dominated the top three spots, as Bishop Gorman was second at 435 and Durango was third at 438. Palo Verde, the other southern team, is sixth at 519.

Galena's Chandeni Gill, the North's top player entering the tournament, is fourth in the individual race after shooting a 77.

Green Valley's Christine Fernandez carded the best score of the day, shooting a 1-over 73. Durango's Erin Andrews and Green Valley's Kimberly Kindig are tied for second at 75.

Cassidy Baxter had the best score for Carson, scoring a 91 to finish 22nd.

Laura Borst and Lissell Fitzhenry both had 112, Sara Liveratti had a 117, and Megan Mulvaney rounded out the top five with a 121.

Kristina Ely had a 93, while Ardea Canepa had a 102. Kari Schlosser shot a 104, followed by Courtney Ellis at 105.

Churchill County's Mandy Chappell, who had to qualify individually, is fifth at 78. Darby Detomasi, Chappell's teammate, had an 83.