Fernley golfers win league, O’Neill named co-MVP

Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter

With their third win in five weeks at Wednesday’s Northern 3A East League meet at Ruby View Golf Course in Elko, the Fernley High School boys golf team finished as the league champions of this year’s shortened season.

In addition, Isaac O’Neill was the individual winner of Wednesday’s meet, also for the third time this season, and he was named the league’s co-MVP with 62 placing points and the lowest average score in the league at 81.2. He won Wednesday’s meet with a score of 76, five strokes better than runner ups Kevin Thompson of Spring Creek and Kaden Konakis of Elko.

As a team, Fernley won with a team score of 350, beating Elko by six strokes and Lowry by 47. Behind O’Neill, Jacob Holmes placed fourth with a score of 87, Noah Davis finished tied for sixth with a score of 92 and Kade Stanger was the fourth scorer with a score of 96.

“Like I said before, the competition in practice has helped the team,” coach Brian O’Neill said. “This years' group has set the bar high. Although (we are) disappointed there wasn't a state event this year, it has been great getting tournament experience with such a young team.

In all, the Vaqueros won three of the five meets they entered, winning in Dayton, Fernley and Elko, and finished second in the other two, in Fallon and Winnemucca. Fernley finished with a team score of 364, topping Elko, which was second with an average team score of 378.

O’Neill shared co-MVP honors with Thompson, while Holmes and Davis earned first-team All-League honors.

“Isaac was steady all year,” Brian O’Neill said. “He was always putting himself in good positions to score and if he had to scramble, he stayed away from big mistakes.”

Davis and Holmes are both freshmen and this was their first year of competitive golf.

“They put in the work and the results show their dedication,” O’Neill said. “Each event was a learning experience and their game will continue to grow.”

With only one senior on the team this season, Angelo Reyes, O’Neill said he is looking forward to next season, hopefully a full season in which similar success would find them competing in a state championship tournament.