Girls are first after first day PVT Pahrump Valley ranked first after the first day (Oct. 16) of the State Golf Tournament held in Carson City, with 484. Faith Lutheran came in second. On a cold, blustery day at the Genoa Lakes Golf Club, Desiree Fortin, one of four players in fourth place in individual scoring, had 82. Courtney Salmon had 101, Ashley Keller, 88, Ashlee Bartholomew, 101, Jasper Biggs, 112, and Hailey Forry had 126 (score did not count). DON McDERMOTT / PVT Courtney Salmon, above, and Ashley Keller, below, finished in the top three as Pahrump Valley won the Southern Nevada Class 3-A Regional Girls Golf Championship tournament, played Thursday at Mountain Falls. The state tournament ended Tuesday at Genoa Lakes, near Carson City. Advertisement

CARSON CITY -- The last time Nevada's Class 3-A girls golf teams visited the Genoa Lakes Golf Resort, it rained, the wind blew at gale force and the comfort level was non-existent.

Faith Lutheran's girls didn't mind it, winning the state championship, but in that particular year, the Crusaders were the odds-on favorites to do it, because of a veteran lineup.

Now, it's the Pahrump Valley Lady Trojans who were favored going into the first round Monday, because of an equally experienced lineup -- a group of girls who easily won the Southern Regional tournament last Thursday at Mountain Falls -- and because the forecast was for Indian summer weather.

The Lady Trojans shot a regional school-record 458 on the par 72, 5,400-yard course on a clear, sunny day. Coach Julie Floyd's team won by 28 strokes over Faith Lutheran, despite the ominous presence of medalist Candra Sumedhatip, who shot an even-par 72, including a hole-in-one on the eighth hole.

Faith Lutheran finished with 486, while Mesquite Virgin Valley -- a third-place finisher in the 2005 state tournament -- shot 515 and did not qualify for a trip to Genoa Lakes.

For Pahrump Valley, Courtney Salmon shot a career-best 41-41--82, while sophomore Ashley Keller had 39-44--83, and senior Desiree Fortin 44-43--87.

Completing the Trojans' lineup were Ashlee Bartholomew, 48-52--100; Jasper Biggs, 50-59--109, and Hailey Forry 49-57--106.

"The regional tournament is always so nerve-wracking; they usually turn into nail-biters," said Floyd, in her 18th year as coach, so she should know from sheer experience how difficult qualifying for a state tournament can be.

Not that it's been that way for the Lady Trojans. For the 11th time in the last 13 years, Pahrump Valley won the regional championship. Monday, Pahrump Valley started its quest for back-to-back state titles, its third in five years and fourth in nine years.

The Trojans did have their share of problems Thursday. Fortin, who averaged 78.8 strokes per 18 holes during the regular season, had her worse round of the season, saving herself even more anxiety by getting a birdie 3 on the 18th hole.

Keller slumped to four-over par on her final four holes as she finished with a 44 after going out in 39.

Salmon, on the other hand, was a picture of consistency throughout as she avoided trouble to record a pair of 41s.

Sumedhatip scored her third career ace, but a bogey on the final hole stopped her from finishing under par for the round.

In the state tournament Monday, Sumedhatip and Salmon were in the lead foursome with Rene Cardinali of Truckee, Calif., the North medalist, and Katelyn Wrigth of Incline.

Cardinali shot 83 for the Lady Wolverines, while Wright had 84 for Incline.

Spring Creek won the Northern team title with 475, shot on the par 72, 5,800-yard Golf Club of Fernley course Thursday.

Johnna Ward, an all-state player in basketball and fast-pitch softball, is on the Spring Creek team. She was in a foursome with Gaile Supp of Wells, Alicia Echevarria of Lowry and Keller.

Fortin was in a group that included Virgin Valley's Amanda Bulloch, Incline's Shelby Hooper and Wells' Brittney Supp.

The tournament started at 11:04 a.m. Monday and was to begin at the same time Tuesday.

Southern 3-A

regional scores

The Southern Nevada Class 3-A Girls Golf Championship tournament was played Thursday at Mountain Falls (par 72, 5,400 yards):

Pahrump Valley (458) -- Desiree Fortin 44-43--87; Ashley Keller 39-44--83; Courtney Salmon 41-41--82; Ashlee Bartholomew 48-52--100; Jasper Biggs 50-59--109; Hailey Forry 49-57--106.

Faith Lutheran (486) -- Candra Sumedhatip (medalist) 33-39--72; Kaitlin Main 48-48--96; Becca Reighard 51-53--104; Shawn Haggerty 58-52--110; Brooke Prendes 46-60--106; Reba Schneiderman 52-56--108.

Mesquite Virgin Valley (515) -- Samantha Bulloch 56-46--102; Brittany Thurston 46-48--94; Amanda Bulloch 44-47--91; Nakelle Faught 62-57--119; Felisha Baeza 50-59--109; Hannah Bulloch 64-63--127.

Boulder City (568) -- Jessica Jones 66-69--135; Ashley Vince 53-46--99; Heidi Harteis 58-51--109; Margot Potter 52-53--105; Bethany Smith 58-62--120; Tara McKeever 78-75--153.

Moapa Valley (no team score) -- Shalyce Parashants 66-65--131; Tracy Swanson 56-58--114; Bethany Wilson 55-67--122; Nadia Alvidrez 86-97--183; Ella Kuo 192; Belia Guzman 145.

Independents -- Emily Laity, Ely White Pine, 125; Courtney Cunningham, White Pine, 181; Allison Briggs, White Pine, 215; Evelyn Rodriguez, West Wendover, 192; Tia Mayle, West Wendover, 125.

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Northern 3-A

The Northern Nevada Class 3-A Girls Golf Championships were played Thursday at the Golf Club of Fernley (par 73, 5,800 yards):

Team Results (Qualified for the State tournament) -- Spring Creek 475; Winnemucca Lowry 514; Wells 518; Battle Mountain 532.

Did Not Qualify -- Fernley 561, Dayton 563, Mineral County Hawthorne 574, Yerington 662, Zephyr Cove Whittell 720.

Top 10 Individuals

1. Rene Cardinali, Truckee, 83; 2. Katelyn Wright, Incline, 84; 3. Gaile Supp, Wells, 84; 4. Johnna Ward, Spring Creek, 85; 5. Alicia Echevarria, Lowry, 87; 6. Brittney Supp, Wells, 89; 7. Shelby Hooper, Incline, 90; 8. Jessi Ablanalp, Spring Creek, 91; 9. Krystle Weaver, Lowry, 93; 10. Melissa Weaver, Lowry, and Chai Gonzalez, Fernley, 97.