Espericueta finishes third at state tournament

AUSTIN - Edinburg North's Felicia Espericueta said earlier in the week her hope was to finish in the top five at the UIL Class 5A State Golf Tournament.

Mission accomplished.

Espericueta roared to a 1-under 71 on Friday at the Jimmy Clay Golf Course to earn a state bronze medal.

"I wish I could have played a little better, but yeah, I'm pretty satisfied," Espericueta said. "I hit the ball a lot better today. I just played steady throughout the whole thing. I didn't really do anything spectacular but I didn't make any bad mistakes."

The Lady Cougars junior bounced back from a 5-over 77 during the tournament's opening round Thursday. She enjoyed a consistent round of pars Friday, scoring just one bogey and sinking two birdie putts.

A&M Consolidated's Casey Grice won the girls tournament with a two-day 144, while Lubbock Coronado's Mariah Montoya finised second with a 147 total. Southlake Carroll (631) won the girls team title.

"It just looked like from the get-go she hit the ball well," Edinburg North coach Joey Zamora said. "What we're building on is (Friday) she had the best 5A score in the state and she could have won the tournament. She didn't play as well as she could have and placed third in state. That's something great to build on right there."

One Sharyland boys player and the Lady Rattlers team also have something to build on for 2008-09.

Abraham Ancer, who qualified as an individual, followed Thursday's 74 with a 76 on Friday to finish 18th. The junior who qualified with the Sharyland team as a freshman will be looking to make his third state tournament appearance next season.

"He's still got one more year to go next year, and hopefully he'll be up there again," Sharyland coach Fernando Rodriguez said.

Spring Branch Memorial's Cory Whitsett (72-69-141) won the boys individual title, while Plano West shot a two-day 595 to take the team championship.

The Lady Rattlers, meanwhile, rebounded from a nightmarish Thursday round to shoot a respectable 338 on Friday, shaving 22 strokes off their first-day total and finish in a tie for seventh place.

Alejandra Cantu paced Sharyland on Friday with an 83, while Ana Choi carded an 84. Alejandra Valdez shot an 85 and Samantha Garcia had an 86.

"I think the girls were a little more relaxed," Sharyland coach Susan Lopez said. "I think they tried too hard (Thursday). (Friday) was just let's go out and play the best we can. I don't think they were real happy with the way they played, but they were more satisfied."