HS Golf: Grizzly Varsity Golf Accelerates to End the Season with Record-Shattering Performances

SPRING, TX -- The Grand Oaks Golf teams handled business during intense tournaments to end the season as a top-flight program for boys and girls golf, with performances setting new benchmarks for success.

High-level excellence from individuals contributed to an elevated level of achievement that had been previously unseen by the Grand Oaks program. Past examples of success include the accomplishments of Junior Asher Vargas, but cohesive play from all participants heightened the team’s level of anticipated success.

Despite the season taking place throughout the entire year, the team’s focus lay on their execution down the stretch in the post-spring break stretch of March. And with the district tournament being the scale of potential postseason strength, the team knew it had to step up to the test.

In an interview with The Woodlands Online Sports, Grand Oaks Head Coach Brandon Poncho sang the praises of his boys and girls teams in their execution during the intense stretch of tournament play.

“The 13-6A District Tournament sets the picture for a postseason run, and that is exactly what the boys and girls varsity teams did this season,” said Poncho. “Girls varsity won the 13-6A Tournament competitively, claiming its first title in school history.”

With returning faces to the boys side of the program, the Grizzlies were prepared to face down the competition and join the girls on a historic pairing of team success.

“This was the first time in school history that both the boys and girls varsity teams advanced or won the District Tournament,” explained Poncho. “It's a huge accomplishment for the players and the program.”

The task of competing at a high level against teams around the area was not an easy one. 13-6A is loaded with talented golfers on top of coaches who know how to get the absolute best out of their players in each outing.

But calm execution and determination in the face of adversity fueled the Grizzlies as they entered tough battle after tough battle.

“The toughest tests were trying to be in contention in every tournament we played in. Each program selects and accepts invites to competitive tournaments in order to prepare for the postseason,” said Poncho. “But, 13-6A has some of the best teams and players in the state.”

In the face of tough competition, the Grizzly golfers stayed the course and battled to their fullest capacity. The result was a District Title for the Girls and a Runner-Up spot for the boys, indicating future success for both programs in the postseason.

The boys were the first to embark on a State Championship run, with Vargas leading the charge with his impressive play. His play and the overall success of the boys as a collective secured the first District Tournament advancement in school history.

Despite the team getting dropped by a single shot in the Regional Tournament, Vargas’ individual performance was good enough to snag second place in the tournament and qualify him for a spot in Georgetown for the State Tournament.

Vargas’s solo execution carried into the State Tournament despite inclement weather that shortened the course to 18 holes. His -3 through the first round was a solid start, and the shortening of the tournament played into his favor by shrinking the field and allowing him to secure the State Championship.

The girls then made their journey through the postseason by riding solid overall team success to find themselves in the State Tournament.

Following their District Championship performance that saw a record-breaking three Grizzleis finish in the top five, the girls finished with a podium performance in the Regional Tournament, ending play as the third-placed team.

The girls’ move into the State Tournament was another first in school history amongst the many others they had already accomplished throughout the year, where they finished the year as the 11th-place team at the 6A Championships.

Sensational play from golfers like London Fowlkes, Melay Dittrich, Natasha Milinthachinda, Vallerie Struve, and Grace Robinson was paramount in getting the four total team wins that set another high mark for the program.

After the dust settled on their historic season, the boys and the girls of the Grand Oaks golf program had set 13 new records for the program at the team and individual levels.

With the highest level of success and achievement in school history, Coach Poncho is doing all that he can to keep the ball rolling in the right direction.

“As coaches, we are constantly looking for ways to improve and compete,” said Poncho. “Not only at the varsity level, but in the program as a whole, there’s a shift in focus we’ve seen the past three years. Players are doing their part to compete year-round, doing what they can to be at the golf course to work on specific skills.”

The understanding of what these athletes are trying to accomplish for themselves and for the betterment of the team instills a heightened sense of pride in Coach Poncho.

“You can only applaud and respect the players for looking and searching for ways to improve,” said Poncho. “As we build our team each year,the development is expected and players can speak that common language on the team with a detailed work ethic. That is what we believe best reflects the entire program as a whole. Once they leave and graduate, they will have something concrete to build off of.”

Elevated success, elevated purpose at the Grand Oaks Golf Program.

*Special thanks to Coach Brandon Poncho for the help in getting this story together.*