Gonzales commentary: HHS golfers keep rolling along

Mark Watts was tailgating in the parking lot Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, like he does before every home game for the Kansas State University football team.

The Wildcats faced the unenviable task of trying to stop Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, nicknamed RG3, and who had more TD passes than incompletions for the season coming in.

"Going to have to outscore them, I guess," Watts said between bites of cinnamon rolls and spoonfuls of chili.

Watts' Hays High School girls' golf team -- like Baylor -- has been rolling along so far this fall. The Indians have placed in the top three at all six tournaments they have played in, winning at Liberal, with a second and three thirds.

HHS is led by five seniors -- Kaycee Beilman, Natalie Bethel, Maddy Curry, Holly Hattan and Alexyss Leiker.

"These girls have been here all four years," Watts said. "It's going to be sad to say goodbye to them.

"They've improved an unbelievable amount from when they were freshmen," he added. "These seniors want to finish it off."

After the final WAC meet, at Great Bend on Tuesday, Hays High will be at the Class 5A Regional Championships at Salina. After that, hopefully it's a trip to state. The Indians won't have to go far. The 5A state meet is on their home course, Smoky Hill Country Club.

Watts expects his team to fare well at what he considers a weak regional.

"I'd be kind of disappointed if we didn't get all six girls in the top 10," Watts said of the regional, which will be at Salina Municipal Golf Course. "On paper, we should be able to win that meet."

Watts likes the depth on this year's squad, which he hopes carries the Indians far through postseason.

"It's been a real satisfying year so far," Watts said. "We've got five seniors, all shooting about the same thing.

"We even have a sixth score, and a seventh," he added. "I think we're seven deep."

Watts hopes the Indians make it to state as a team, and bring home some more hardware. HHS was third at state last year.

"These girls have done more than I asked so far," Watts said. "I'm asking them to do a little bit more, finish the season off."

Making it to state could be a chore, but it's got to be an easier task than what the Wildcats faced -- stopping RG3.

But, KSU won. Is Hays High next?