The Saguaro Sabercats are looking to pick up right where they left off from last season in competing for a state championship. The men’s golf team made state at the Division II level for the first time in nine years and still have yet to reach its full potential. 

Last year, the team finished ninth at state as a team, with Will Koepke breaking into the top 15 individual ranking. The team is balanced and can rely on everyone equally.

“Last year the team was top-heavy, as the top three guys had to carry everyone else to score well and to get to the state tournament, but this year we are more even all across the board,” said head coach Bob LaRue.

LaRue’s team has already won three of its first five matches. However, there is room for improvement.

“Our only weakness is that our putting can be somewhat interesting,” sophomore William Slessman said.

The Sabercats have every player back from last season. This should help them stay focused and not have to find themselves as a team early on in the season.

The guys know each other well from playing together in their previous seasons. There is no awkwardness around this team.

“We’ve got really good team chemistry,” said Slessman.

Although they have all of their previous players coming back, the team also has some underclassmen who can shoot well in key matches to help the team. Henry Sheperd has the potential to qualify for state individually and is a key example of how this team has more depth than in previous years.

“We have a couple of young kids who will be good in the future,” said LaRue.

A key player to look out for this season is senior Joey Harmon. Joey is a four-year letterman who has qualified for state during his entire tenure on the Saguaro men’s golf team.

Sophomore Barrett Bowers qualified for state last year as a freshman and hopes that the team can build upon last year's experience.

“We just want to get back into it, and we want to get back to the state championship and hopefully perform better,” he said.

Poised and determined, the Sabercats now know they can compete against some of the powerhouse high school golf programs in Division II. They started out the season hot but have been struggling as of late, especially at home. The team is ranked No. 7 out of 12 in its division, according to AZPreps365.com.

The top guys on this team can shoot 1-over-par or 2-over-par on any given day, according to LaRue. This team is planning to pile up match wins and be able to play at Omni Tucson National Resort for the state championship in October.