Balanced Gorman girls primed for state bid

Bishop Gorman’s girls golf team doesn’t have a No. 1 player.

And that’s just the way the Gaels like it.

Gorman heads into the two-day, Class 4A state golf meet today at Bear’s Best with four golfers having shot the team’s low round during at least one meet of the regular season.

Allie Arguello, Katie DeJesus, Melissa Cayne and Kelly Horrell have each taken a turn going low for the Gaels. But all have routinely posted scores that led Gorman to roll through the Southwest League and into a top-two finish at the Sunset Region meet.

“It’s kind of exciting, not to know who’s going to come out with the saving score at the end,” said Cayne, who shot a team-best 79 at the regional. “But there’s always somebody who helps us a lot. And it changes, so each person feels good.”

The Gaels have used the team-first mentality to return to the state meet after a third-place finish at last year’s region meet kept them from state for the first time since 1998.

Gorman won four straight state championships from 2003 through 2006, but has seen the power shift in its own region with the emergence of Faith Lutheran, Arbor View, Cimarron-Memorial and other schools.

Still, Gorman sent Arguello and Cayne to state as individuals in 2010. The team has built on that experience, when Arguello shot a two-day 173 for 20th place and Cayne carded 182 for 28th.

“(Last year) was tough, but it came down to the wire,” Gorman coach Ben Gutman said. “We know we’re a good team, and if we’re beat, it means good golf for Nevada. That’s positive.
“We’re ready to step back up to a challenge, and we’ve had to deal with that all season.”

The Gaels are underdogs once again heading into today behind the Sunset champion Crusaders, as well as defending state champion Green Valley and North champ Spanish Springs.

But Gorman has a secret weapon it alone possesses in the six-team field: The Gaels have played and practiced at home course Bear’s Best every day.

“Having (the state meet) at your home course is a good thing; it puts you in a good mood from the start,” Cayne said. “You pretty much know where every hole goes, where you want to be on the green and what to avoid.”

Gorman will likely lean heavily on that mental edge provided by the familiar environs.

“Being comfortable on a golf course is something that every golfer shoots for,” Gutman said. “In something like the state tournament, there will be nerves like it is. But there are no surprises (for Gorman) as far as the golf course goes. We’ve been there for four years with some of our girls.”

After spending last season off the team leaderboard, the Gaels are enjoying playing at home in this year’s state meet.

“We want everybody to have a good couple of days, to play good golf,” Gutman said. “If you’re comfortable to start, everything can go your way. If you’re uncomfortable, it can be a long day.”