Curt Arnold is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Saguaro High School for AZPreps365.com.

The Saguaro boys golf team lost by 10 strokes to Desert Mountain in a three-team matchup that included Higley on Tuesday.

The finalized leaderboard had the Wolves, Sabercats, and Knights in that order. The Sabercats posted a combined score of 161 (plus-17), Desert Mountain, was 151 (plus-7), and Higley was 170 (plus-26).

Saguaro's loss leaves their hopes for the state tournament at risk with only four matches left this season.

It was a challenging day on the course, battling wind and rain at McCormick Ranch. Despite the inclement weather, Saguaro still showed glimpses of its potential as the team continues to push for a place among the top teams in the Division II Desert Sky region.

Saguaro coach Dahlby acknowledged the impact that the conditions had on the team’s performance, but remained optimistic about the Sabercats’ chances to rebound in the upcoming matches.

“Obviously today, the weather at the end really affected play," Dahlby said. "It wasn’t our best effort by any means, but I think we have four more matches, and we’re going to need two or three more really good scores. I feel like there’s enough talent on this team to get it done. It’s just a matter of putting it all together."

Saguaro’s performance kept the team on the outside looking in, as they remain ranked 14th in Division II, just two spots away from the top 12 to qualify for state.

Saguaro junior Chase Garrison led the way for the Sabercats at 38 (plus-2), which earned him a tie for second overall. His performance was closely followed by junior Oliver Uribe, who shot a 39 (plus-3), and senior Emery Shroyer, who posted a 40 (plus-4).

Despite efforts from their top players, the rest of the team was more impacted by the wind and rain because of their later start. Saguaro seniors Dean Horton and Kasen Williams carded a 44 (plus-8) and 45 (plus-9), respectively, and junior Quinn Kallis' score matched Williams. 

“We would have loved for Oliver and Emery to be around even par," Dahlby said. "They’ve played great all year, but it just wasn’t their day. We’ll see if we can regroup after the break.” 

Uribe remains confident in the team’s chances going into the last portion of their season.

“I think we’re really starting to come together," Uribe said. "Mentally, our top three is starting to solidify, so we just need our fourth and fifth guys to grind, and I think we’ll be pretty solid.”

Shroyer knew it had to be mind over matter to persevere through the messy conditions.

“I would say it was rolling out a bit too much, but it’s all about how you adjust to that stuff," Shroyer said. "Even though it was a challenge, I feel like I played through it pretty well."

If the team fails to qualify for state, both Uribe and Shroyer are expected to compete as individuals. With fall break ahead and time to regroup, the Sabercats will look to capitalize on their remaining matches and continue their streak of qualifying a team for state.