After the first day of regionals at the Golf Club of Texas coming in fifth place behind Westlake, Lake Travis, Johnson, Churchill and New Braunfels, the varsity golf team stormed into the second day and finished the day with a season-best 294 strokes.

That pushed the boys golf team into third place and its first trip to the state championships laster this month, an accomplishment that has eluded the team for decades.  The team finished with in third place with 605 strokes, just one stroke below Johnson and New Braunfels. Westlake finished first with Lake Travis in second.

Overall Joaquin Martinez had the best day, finishing course with 71 strokes followed by Tyler Horn and Evan Perez, who both finished the day with 74 strokes.

Senior Jordan Stagg, who finished with 75 stokes, had faith in his team since day one.

“Nobody believed in us,” Stagg said. “It shows how much we wanted this from the beginning of the year.”

Coach Jason Pape said he knew the team had a chance despite the odds.

“I received a call telling me to get the team ready for playoff, that we had tied with Johnson and that we would be in a five-man playoff,” Pape said. “As the boys were warming up, I was given a congratulations from (Reagan) coach (Brett) McCuiston that we had actually won the tourney by one shot.”

So he went to the range and called the boys up with their parents watching.

“With a very serious look on my face evidently, I threw my hat in the air signaling SVHS boys golf team’s first-ever trip to state,” he said.

When Stagg and the rest of the team found out, they celebrated on the course.

“Our coach called us over and threw his hat in the air, so we threw our hats up too,” Stagg said, “A couple of us cried like little girls.”

The team will compete in the state tournament which will take place May 22-23 at Legacy Hills Golf Club in Georgetown along with Lake Travis and Westlake.