Consol girls golf team wins regionals, earns trip to state
Eagle Staff Report
Published Thursday, April 24, 2008 2:13 AM

WACO -- The A&M Consolidated girls golf team is going to the state tournament, and the Lady Tigers punched their ticket in convincing fashion.

Consol captured the Class 5A Region II tournament by 10 shots Wednesday, claiming the program's first state berth since 1994 and its first ever in the UIL's largest classification.

Sophomore sensation Casey Grice dominated the individual competition, earning medalist honors with a four-stroke victory. Grice was the only player to break par over two days at Cottonwood Creek Country Club.

The Lady Tigers will play in the UIL state tournament at the Jimmy Clay Golf Course in Austin on May 8-9.

Consol shot a team score of 322 on Wednesday for a 36-hole total of 639. Plano West finished second and took the other state berth by matching Consol's 322 in the second round for a 649 total. The Woodlands was third at 328-653, and Georgetown finished fourth with 341-662.

"We have an extraordinary group of young ladies," Consol coach Mike Terral said. "They've worked so hard that they're really deserving of this. I'm just so pleased that they got it."

Grice fired a 2-under 70 in windy conditions Wednesday and finished with a total of 141. Gino Borteletto of The Woodlands was second at 71-145.

"It's my best tournament total score of my life and a great time to do it," Grice said. "My goal was for our team to make it to state. I knew I would have to go as low as possible to give us the best chance, and it worked out."

Consol's scores included Kimberly Gibson 81-163, Erin Jang 83-165, Shikhi Cheruku 87-170 and Haley Green 92-182.

Playing as an individual medalist, Bryan's Kelsey Dickson shot 89 in the second round to finish at 182.

"The wind blew a little bit more today and the scores went up a little, but they went up for everybody," Terral said. "We didn't post necessarily a world-beating score today, but we posted a very competitive score given the pressure situation and the fact that we were protecting a lead."

Consol made the state tournament for the first time in 14 years despite having just one senior (Gibson) and four sophomores in its starting lineup.

"We have a young team, and the sky's the limit for us," Grice said.