Panthers hungry to claim state title

Many high school golf teams would savor a fifth-place finish in the state meet.

For Palo Verde's boys, though, it is incentive to do a bit better.

The Panthers return the bulk of the squad that won the Sunset Region tournament and placed fifth in the state meet last season.

"Last year, when we finished fifth, there were a lot of long faces," Panthers coach Jeff Wolfram said. "We won the region and state in 2001, and since then we've been first or second in the region every year but one.

"These kids expect that that's what they're to do. They expect to win region. They expect to be in the state tournament and win."

Those expectations certainly aren't unrealistic this season.

The Panthers return four players -- seniors Chris Viravongsa, Erik Newkirk and Cameron Bawden and sophomore Kyle Melchieorre -- who could be among the area's best.

"We're dying to win state," Viravongsa said. "You go out there to win. If you're not doing that, you shouldn't be there in the first place."

Viravongsa was the individual region champion, carding a 4-under-par 68 at Legacy Golf Club. He took seventh in the state meet.

"He's the kind of kid who just outworks everybody," Wolfram said. "He has practiced every day since last year."

Bawden was a constant contributor as a junior and placed in the top 20 in the regional meet.

"He's been in the lineup since he was a freshman," Wolfram said. "He gives us a lot of experience."

But Newkirk might be the Panthers' top golfer, though he didn't get a chance to prove it late last year. He missed the regional and state meets with a knee injury.

"He's been our number one kid," Wolfram said.

Melchieorre surprised many with his play as a freshman and should only improve with experience. He tied for sixth in the regional last season.

Wolfram said he has seven players who are ready to contribute and an eighth who may not be far away, giving the team plenty of reason to be optimistic.

"We're really hungry," Newkirk said. "We've been trying to get (a state title) our whole high school careers. I think we're better this year than we were last year."