Senior Jack Rice is the Rio Americano male student athlete of the month for March after he helped the golf team win two preseason tournaments.
Earlier this month Raider golfers took first out of 18 schools at the Rocklin Iniviational and then returned to the podium against 20 schools in the Chico Invitational.
Rice attributes the victories to the combined effort of the six competitors. (In prep tournaments, six players compete and the best five scores are counted.)
“The whole team did solid,” Rice said. “It was a team effort.”
The team started league play 3-2, dropping two matches to teams it beat in the tournaments, Vista Del Lago and Woodcreek, on those teams’ home courses.
But Rice expected the Raider to do well in the post-season.
“I think we will go pretty far in playoffs,” he said. “We are pretty good all around.”
The team, which usually puts two seniors and four juniors into competition, is anchored by junior Landon Abalateo.
Rice doesn’t plan to play in college, but he expects to continue recreationally.
“I like golf just because I like being outside and being in nature,” he said. “Most courses are beautiful and I like doing something I can do with my family and my grandparents.”
Look for a profile of the female athlete of the month, dive team captain Lauren Stevenson, next week.
