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Déjà Vu

By TJ MAXWELL
Cove Leader-Press
WACO – ‘It’s déjà vu all over again.’ Yogi Berra could have been talking about the Copperas Cove girls’ golf team if his famous quote would have been said Wednesday after day two of the District 12-6A Golf Tournament at the Cottonwood Creek Golf Course in Waco. Again, the players faced gusty wind conditions, and, again Copperas Cove’s Tyler Morrison ousted her own teammate, Mikayla Miller from regional competition – this time in a one-hole playoff. “Before we even got to the hole we both said, ‘Who ever wins, wins and good luck at regionals,’” Morrison said after the playoff. “It really does suck playing against your teammate, but you have to do what you have to do.” Last year, Miller led after day and Morrison rallied with an 11-stroke better round of 79 to edge Miller 169 to 171 for the final spot. This year, Miller would rally on day two to force a playoff for the final spot after Morrison led the friendly rivalry on day one. Morrison, who blazed a second-round 79 on day two to put herself in contention after shooting a sixth-best 84 on day one, was bested by Miller’s day two round of 77 to force a two-way tie at 163 for the final individual spot. Miller shot an 86 on day one. “I played way better than yesterday,” said Morrison. “I made a lot of putts today, which saved a lot of strokes. That helped me pull through and go to regionals.” The most vital putt was the final one that landed her at the Region II-6A Tournament to be held April 15-16, also at Cottonwood Creek. The duo is used to the competition, however. They have been competing against one another since junior high and that competiveness didn’t stop there. “It’s competition,” said Cove head girls’ coach Ryan Youngblood. “It’s not too hard on them because we do that every week. We have a qualifier every week and they compete. The qualifiers are extra tournaments we can have between ourselves so they were prepared for it. They play each other all the time. For me, it’s tough to see them going at it, but a win is a win and you just have to compete. I’m proud of both of them.” “Mikayla and I started off in junior high and we’ve helped each other the last four or five years,” said Morrison. “We’re always there for each other and we make each other better. She’s a good player. She’s going off to college and she’s going to do great things there so I’m happy for her.” Deja-Lyn Pulida of Killeen had already locked up the first individual spot with a 160 so again it came down to Morrison and Miller for the final spot. It didn’t take long to determine the winner. Morrison birdied to take the spot after chipping onto the green within six feet. She out drove Miller by nearly 30 yards to start the playoff on the 446-yard, par 5 hole one. She then put herself just off the green on her second shot setting up the fateful chip and subsequent birdie putt. Miller’s second shot was a little farther out, which forced a much tougher chip shot and subsequent two-putt scenario. After Miller missed her long putt from the fringe, Morrison dropped her shot in the cup ending the playoff and Miller’s chance at a regional berth in her final attempt. “In this profession, you have the opportunity to meet some great people and I really don’t think you’ll find anyone with more of a competitive nature, not only in golf but in the classroom,” Youngblood said of Miller. “She’s third in her class and she’s on so many different councils and boards and has garnered so many accolades. She’s going to Southwestern in Georgetown so we’re proud of that. I don’t want to say it’s disappointing but I hate to see her go.” Only Mia Ayer of Midway, who shot an amazing 142 - including a day two 67, and Pulido, who posted equal rounds of 80, had a better two-day total than Morrison and Miller’s 163. Megan Wehmeir finished tied for 18th with a 205, Megan Shuck tied for 31st with a 227 and Kaylee Welch notched a 249 for a tie at 36th. Cove Medalists Kyra Lewis (227) and Hanna Stock (229) finished tied at 31st and 33rd, respectively. Midway won the team title with a combined 695 – two strokes ahead of Belton, who also qualified as a team. Cove finished in third with a combined 758. Morrison was just happy to reach regionals last year. This year, she has bigger plans. “(My goal is) to win,” she said. “To par every hole or make birdies.” ----- Dewald/McAnally lead boys to fourth Travis Dewald led the Cove boy’s efforts. He finished tied for 14th with a combined 164 to pace the boys to a fourth-place finish. The boys used a strong day two effort to improve from fifth to fourth with a two-day total of 670. The squad shaved 12 strokes from their day one total of 341. Caden McAnally had the best day two of the boys, posting a 78 to lead the squad. He shot an 87 on day one for a two-day total of 165 that was good enough for a tie for 16th. Bryce Anderson (84+86=165), Austin Fredrickson (88+83=171) and Dustin Dean (89+87=176) finished 23rd, 25th and 30th, respectively. The Cove II squad, led by Bryce Ranes’ two-day total of 190, finished within 10 strokes of each other. Ranes’ rounds of 99 and 91 earned him a 36th-place finish, followed by Donovan Ritchie-Copeland ( 37th - 97+96+193), Damon Diaz ( 39th - 100+96=196), Marcus Ortiz (42nd – 102+97+199) and Justin Orr (43rd – 100+100=200). “I think we’ve turned the corner with the guys,” said Youngblood. “Their first tournament, they shot a 398 and we had a lot of 90s. In the past two days out of 10 golfers in 10 rounds, we had nine 80s and one 70.” Youngblood only loses one from this year’s squad to graduation – Fredrickson. The rest will return to lead next year’s squad.

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