Coronado leads pack in 5A heading into 2025 boys golf season
Coronado boys golf coach Rusty Anderson has a good feeling about the coming season.
His team capped the 2024 campaign with the program’s seventh state championship. The Cougars have their eyes on No. 8 as they begin league play this week.
Anderson said he believes he has the personnel to get the job done, though he hopes Class 5A action is not quite as stressful this time around.
“I hope this season’s not as tight,” said Anderson, who is in his fourth year as Coronado’s coach. “We expect to have a target on our back, but we really don’t mind playing with pressure. That’s a privilege. You’re always going to be the hunter or the hunted.”
Coronado mounted a dramatic second-day comeback in last year’s state tournament to defeat Bishop Gorman by a single stroke. Shadow Ridge finished seven strokes back. All three teams will be in the hunt again this season.
“We don’t really talk about championships,” Anderson said. “That’s the aspiration, but they understand that it’s about what you do leading up to that.”
The Cougars have six returning golfers to buoy another strong lineup, along with five promising newcomers.
Junior Anderson Lee won last year’s individual state title and is expected to lead the way again. Other top Coronado golfers include sophomore Eli Marshall and junior Brent Chung.
Anderson is optimistic.
“I really like what we have,” he said. “I think we have as good of a team as we’ve had since I’ve been here.”
But that optimism comes with a warning.
“We just have to be sure not to get overconfident,” Anderson said. “In golf, that will get you humbled in a hurry.”
Desert Region play begins Wednesday at Painted Desert. Mountain Region action opens Wednesday at Revere-Concord.
In Class 4A play, Doral Academy, Green Valley and Sierra Vista will be the teams to beat after topping the leaderboard in their state tournament last spring. Doral Academy won it all, while Green Valley finished second and Sierra Vista was third.
Boulder City, Moapa Valley and Pahrump Valley will be the top local teams in the 3A division, though Northern teams — led by Fernley — nabbed the top three spots in the 2024 state tournament.
Contact Jeff Wollard at jwollard@reviewjournal.com.
