Pahrump Valley golfer Raegan Saldana advances to 3A state tournament

Raegan Saldana saved her best golf of the season for the postseason.

The Pahrump Valley sophomore shot a career-best 89 during the opening round of the Class 3A Southern Region tournament, then lowered that mark with an 85 on the second day at Aliante Golf Club in North Las Vegas.

Her two-day total of 174 placed her fifth overall and earned her a second consecutive trip to the Class 3A state tournament.

“She did amazing,” Pahrump Valley coach Sierra McKillips said. “She hit her season best, 89 the first day and 85 the second day. She placed fifth overall. She medaled.”

Saldana finished the regional tournament 30 strokes over par and comfortably met the qualifying standard for an individual state berth. She had entered the postseason ranked seventh among the region’s golfers after completing the regular season with an average of 23.25 strokes over par.

Her fifth-place finish represented a two-position improvement from that regular-season ranking.

The Meadows’ Chloe Sakkab won the regional championship with rounds of 72 and 66 for a 6-under-par total of 138. Boulder City’s Emmerson Hinds placed second at 19 over with a 163.

Boulder City captured the regional team championship with a two-day score of 711. Virgin Valley was second at 787.

For Saldana, both regional rounds were better than the career-best 93 she shot Aug. 27 at Mountain Falls Golf Club. The back-to-back personal records continued a season in which McKillips credited her improved course management, preparation and ability to move past difficult holes.

Saldana qualified for state as a freshman last fall and shot rounds of 113 and 122 at Boulder Creek Golf Club, finishing 30th among 32 competitors.

She will return to the state tournament with considerably more experience and with the strongest two rounds of her high school career immediately behind her.

“We are on our way to the state championship in Elko,” McKillips said.

Saldana and McKillips left Pahrump on Monday morning for the Class 3A state tournament, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 13-14, at Ruby View Golf Course in Elko.

Contact sports reporter Bill Evans at wevans@pvtimes.com.