Taylyn Hadley is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Westwood High School for AZPreps365.com.

Mesa - The Westwood Warriors had hopes of placing as a team but did not meet the minimum requirement of four players after a player had to scratch at the 10th hole due to a heat-related illness. The remaining three ended their rounds shooting a total of 320-over par at the Girls Mesa City Championship at Viewpoint Golf Resort on Friday. 

The Warriors completed a full round of 18 holes while playing from the white tees, accounting for a par 71 at the Viewpoint Golf Resort.

Mountain View came out on top of the five schools that competed on Friday, shooting a team total of 327. Red Mountain was second (375) followed by Skyline (456) and Mesa High (514).

The fourth teammate of the Warriors who had to forfeit during hole 10 was given 20’s for the holes that she did not complete. This pushed the Westwood Warriors to a team score of 516.

In a City Championship that could have determined whether the girls would secure an early spot at the Division One State Championship, the Warriors fell short. 

Coach Ellie Reiks was still impressed by her girls' tenacity as they powered through their struggles.

“They knew they were not going to win (after the front nine) but they still kept going,” Reiks said. “I am just proud of them for playing hard and finishing through this heat and having a good attitude the whole time.” 

Teams are required to play at least seven rounds in order to qualify for the state tournament. With Westwood playing more than seven rounds this season, they are able to choose which seven scores they want to submit for placement. Reiks believes that the girls will improve their scores.

“Today, it does not look like these scores are going to help,” Reiks said. “But we are going to continue to get out of our heads, take it stroke by stroke, hole by hole, and just play our game.”

Westwood’s Jocelyn Phillips tees off at the par-4 16th hole on Friday. (Taylyn Hadley photo/AZpreps365)Of Westwood's usual lineup of five girls, only three finished all 18 holes.

Junior Jessica Deiter shot 20-over par and finished with a 91. Senior Jocelyn Phillips shot 32-over par and finished with a 103. Junior, Zoe Hernandez shot 55-over par and finished with a 126.

Deiter is the only returning Warriors player who competed in last year's Division One Championship where she placed 60th overall. She plans on making it back there by focusing on herself.

“I don’t have to worry about everyone else,” Deiter said. “I am just playing my own game.”

Deiter admitted to struggling throughout the front nine but found her stride on the back nine when she birdied the par-5 18th hole. 

“(The front nine) took me a few holes to get in the rhythm,” Deiter said. “My drives (on the back nine) looked nice.”

Lone senior Jocelyn Phillips hopes to make her championship debut this season. After recently coming off of a personal best score of 44 over nine holes, Phillips needs to keep her momentum going.

“This morning (I) actually changed my swing,” Phillips said. “I changed it and it worked really well for me. I was hitting really good shots today. I just couldn’t putt or chip.”

Before Friday's round, Phillips was on the brink of qualifying as an individual for state if the Warriors do not qualify as a team.  

The Warriors start off next week with their Senior Night facing Higley and A.L.A Gilbert on Monday at Apache Wells Golf Course. They then play Perry and Highland at Superstition Springs Golf Resort on Wednesday. The week will cap off with day two of the Girls Mesa City Championship on Friday at Dobson Ranch Golf Course.