Espericueta, Ancer in contention to medal at state

AUSTIN - Edinburg North's Felicia Espericueta didn't have her best day during the first-round of the UIL Class 5A golf tournament Thursday at the Jimmy Clay Golf Course, but it wasn't so bad that she's out of contention for a medal.

Unfortunately for the Sharyland Lady Rattlers, they can't say the same thing.

Espericueta shot an opening-round 77 and is in a three-way tie for fifth place heading into today's final round. Sharyland, meanwhile, shot a team total of 360, which ranks it eighth in the eight-team girls field.

In the boys tournament, Sharyland's Abraham Ancer is in a seven-way tie for 11th place but is just four strokes off the lead and two from second place.

Espericueta struggled early, needing 40 strokes to complete the front nine. But she started to find her groove on holes 10 to 18 and shot a 37 for some momentum heading into today. She is nine strokes behind leader Casey Grice of A&M Consolidated but just three out of second place.

"There's just a couple of things that I learned from (Thursday)," Espericueta said. "Hopefully I can work that out and make some putts. This is a placement golf course. I put the ball sometimes in the wrong place."

The Lady Rattlers' shots were often finding the wrong place as they staggered to last place, eight strokes behind seven-place League City Clear Creek.

Alejandra Cantu, the Region IV-5A champion, carded an 89 on Thursday. Ana Choi led Sharyland with an 86.

"We did not play well. We did not play to our potential at all," said Sharyland coach Susan Lopez, who admitted she knew it was going to be a difficult day for her squad from the start. "We just had a lot of trouble on the first hole, a big dogleg left. Two of the five (Lady Rattlers) went into the water. It just looked like we were going to struggle."

Sharyland has a chance to redeem itself today, although catching first-place A&M Consolidated (319) is out of the question barring a disqualification.

Ancer shot 2-over par for the day in the boys tournament and has a chance at medaling. Ryan Dagerman of Plano West shot a 2-under to take a two-stroke lead over Nicko Dodd of Houston Strake Jesuit and Cory Whitsett of Spring Branch Memorial. Plano West is atop the boys team standings, holding a 292 to 297 advantage over second-place The Woodlands.