High school golf: Beaver's hard work paying off with opening day lead at 2A tournament

SALT LAKE CITY — By high school golf team standards, the work that Beaver's boys golf team puts in is unheard of.

During the season, the team practices five days a week for approximately six hours each day. The warm-ups for practice aren't putting or chipping, but rather running laps around a horse race track with an infield that is used as their driving range.

It is this kind of work ethic that makes the Beavers so great, according to coach Mark J. Yardley.

"I can guarantee you that they work harder than anybody in the country," Yardley said. "They're a real special group, they have a strong desire to excel."

On Monday, at the 2A boys' golf state tournament at Rose Park, two-time defending champion Beaver proved that hard work pays off as it came in with a team score of 292, 17 strokes better than Manti, which is in second place at 309. The Beavers were led by Dallon Murdock, who is in first place with a 4-under par 68.

In the team results, following Manti comes Grand and Rowland Hall which shot 315 and 316, respectively.

For Beaver it did not stop with Murdock as teammates Braxton Williams, Hunter Hansen, and Taylor Yardley came in with 73, 74 and 77, respectively, displaying the depth of their team.

Nicklaus Britt, defending 2A individual champion from Millard, was disappointed with his round of 72 as he is four shots off the lead.

Besides hard work, some of Beaver's success can also be attributed to experience as five of their six players are seniors and five of the six have experience playing in state.

However, coach Yardley, who is in his final year as coach, may be just as important to the team as their experience and work ethic.

"Our coach has a big impact on us," explained Hansen.

"I give them 110 percent and they give me 110 percent," Yardley said. "That's the deal we make."

After the first day, the state title is nearly in the Beavers' clutches, but they are not getting ahead of themselves.

"We've got to stay focused, and not get too cocky, because if we do, we'll get beat," Murdock said.

EMAIL: asorensen@desnews.com

2A Golf Tournament

Monday

At Rose Park

Day 1 Results

Team Scores

1. Beaver, 292; 2. Manti, 309; 3. Grand, 315; 4. Rowland Hall, 316; 5. Waterford, 323; 6. Richfield, 330; 7. Millard, 331; 8. Summit Academy, 336; 9. South Summit, 345; 10. American Leadership, Emery (tie), 349; 12. Gunnison, 355; 13. South Sevier, 358; 14. North Sevier, 365; 15. Kanab, 402.

Individual Scores

68 – Dallon Murdock, Beaver

70 – Dale Thomas, Grand; Caleb Chodosh, Rowland Hall

72 – Nicklaus Britt, Millard

73 – Braxton Williams, Beaver; Joe Barton, Manti

74 – Hunter Hansen, Beaver

75 – Jay T. Anderson, Waterford

76 – Hudson Chapple, American Leadership; Mason Powell, Gunnison; Kody Quarnberg, Manti

77 – Taylor Yardley, Beaver; Hunter Butterfield, Grand; Jaylon Steck, Richfield

78 – Hunter Lucas, South Summit

79 – Kody Berry, Manti

80 – Smokey Osborn, Beaver; McKlane Allred, Emery; Matthew West, Waterford

81 – Chris Kline, Beaver; Alex Rees, Manti; Ethan LaFavor, Summit Academy; Sage Herron, Waterford