ROGERS — Marcus Alexander hopes a home course advantage will be just what Rogers High needs to push past the rest of the field at the Class 7A state boys golf tournament.
With a crowded field full of teams capable of winning a state title, the Mounties — and several other area teams — will take any edge they can get.
“There really isn’t a favorite,” Alexander said. “We’ve battled all season long with some of these teams, and we feel like we’re going to be right in the mix. And hopefully the home course advantage will help us, and hopefully we’ll be peaking (this) week.”
Rogers senior Mason Brodie has earned medalist honors in a majority of his team’s matches this season, including in the one 18-hole tournament the Mounties played this season. He carded a 72 at the Springdale Bulldog Invitational in early August at the Springdale Country Club, a good sign as players prepare for 18 holes today and another 18 at Lost Springs Golf and Athletic Club Wednesday for the top eight teams and individuals that advance.
Fellow senior Zach Leisenring also boosts the Mounties’ chances with scores consistently below 40 on nine holes this season.
“We’ve got a strong senior class,” Alexander said. “They’ve been to a few of these and being on their home field, they’re excited for the challenge.”
While Rogers has home course knowledge, other 7A/6A-West Conference teams figure to be in the mix. Bentonville, led by Tyler See, Jack Robertson and Wade Schaller, has been one of the top teams in conference play all fall.
Springdale Har-Ber also appears to be in the discussion with senior Connor Neil leading the way. The Wildcats defeated Rogers in a conference match this season, and Neil has been one of the top individual players in the 7A/6A-West this year.
Fayetteville boasts one of the deepest lineups at today’s state tournament, and the chore for coach Scott Williams was deciding on which five players to send out against the rest of the field.
“We took our top five guys based on their season averages,” Williams said. “So we’re going with Mason Adams, Luke Long, Luke Renner, Thatcher Radler and Matthew Cole.
“We feel like we’ve got a good chance, and our guys are excited. But I think you’ll have four or five teams in the thing on the last day, and it will probably come down to who makes the fewest mistakes.”
In the 7A/6A-Central, two-time defending state champion Conway is again a team to look out for along with 2009 and 2010 champions Cabot and Little Rock Central, respectively.
“You never count any of them out,” Alexander said. “The talent down there is so rich and they peak at the right time, too. So you have to respect those players and those teams from the central part of the state.”