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Take me home tonight: Newby advances to state with clutch final five holes
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
It can be hard to keep accurate track of your opponents' scores in high school golf.
Allen senior Justin Newby didn't have such concerns last Tuesday during the second round of the Region I Tournament in Lubbock as Eagles head coach Karen Gravley tracked him down at hole No. 14.
"At that point we knew the team wasn't going to advance to state, but that Justin was right there," Gravley said. "I told Justin, 'your teammates have done everything they can, now it's on you to take it home and make the state tournament.'"
Newby, who will continue his career at Texas State, advanced to state by finishing second behind Walsh, whose Keller team finished second behind Mansfield.
"Justin came in as a freshman and was so competitive that he was able to start immediately," Gravley said. "He continued to grow as a sophomore and became a leader last year as a junior."
This year's regional experience is much better for Newby though as he lost a playoff for state as a junior
"I think a loss like that really gives a player like Justin even more hunger," Gravley said. "Makes you think that if that window opens up again, then you are going to find a way to sneak in because you never know when ... or if ... that window will open again."
Newby didn't sneak in though as he was five strokes better than the next qualifier.
"I'm very proud of Justin and, really, all the boys," Gravley said. "All of the players made a contribution to our team scores."
Allen wasn't one of the favorites entering the two-day tournament, which began last Monday at Texas Tech's Rawls Course, but the team of Newby, juniors Jake Clark, Kyle Small, sophomore Drew Miller and freshman Camden DeBonis posted a 302 team score on Day 1. That was good enough to put the Eagles in fourth place and, more importantly, in the final grouping for Day 2.
"From a team perspective that was a big accomplishment," Gravley said. "And individually, I think that really helped Justin out. Now he would be playing with the stronger players and would know what he needed to do to make it to state."
Small can take some credit for that as Allen's No. 5 had the team's second best opening round, posting a 75, behind only Newby's 71.
"Kyle put up a score that really kept us in the hunt," Gravley said. "He was able to do what every coach hopes for when they are picking a fifth."
Allen finished sixth in the team standings following a 306 on Day 2.
"You were looking at a field with state champions like Mansfield and Southlake Carroll in it, and then an up-and-coming team like Keller," Gravley said, "so we really just wanted to prove we could hang with them.
"I think we did that and the boys got some valuable experience as well."
Newby, Clark, Small, Miller and DeBonis won just the second boys district title in program history two weeks prior. Newby will be competing at the Class 5A State Tournament, which is Monday and Tuesday at Onion Creek Club Golf Course in Austin, while the other four are set to return next season.
"Our boys and girls teams have really elevated this program to another level," Gravley said. "And if you look at the rosters, we only have one senior on each team."
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