RBC I The 2013-14 school year has not started yet, but high school golfers in Rio Blanco County started practice Monday and play in their first tournament today in Battlement Mesa.
Practice for football, volleyball and cross county officially starts Monday.
“We had 10 kids at practice Monday, which is a couple more than last year, plus a couple of new additions to the team, which should help competition within the team,” Rangely High School golf coach Eric Hejl said.
Since Meeker High School does not have a golf team, two Meeker students will play on Rangely’s team, including senior Calvin Shepherd.
Shepherd and Rangely’s Andrew Morton will provide the senior leadership this season, and oach Hejl is excited to get started.
“We have virtually everyone back from last season and several of these guys have been playing and practicing all summer,” he said. “I can already tell that our team scores are going to be significantly better than last year.
“I’m excited to get them into some actual competition to see how their nerves handle the added pressure,” he said.
Hejl will get his first look today at Battlement Mesa, then next week the team plays at Lakota Canyon, Gypsum Creek and Rifle. Rangely will host a high school tournament Sept. 13 at Cedar Ridges Golf Course.
“We are just gonna grind it out until September and, hopefully, we can field a full team for regionals,” he said of his expectations for the season. “I’m even more hopeful that we will have a few guys in the mix to go to state as well.”