Nacos makes immediate impact for Demons

Some freshmen experience a transitional period when they compete at the varsity level.

Sarah Nacos is not one of them.

The Washington, Iowa, freshman has made an immediate impact. She leads Class 4A in nine-hole scoring average, ranking fourth individually among all classes.

Nacos began competitive golf at Iowa PGA events when she was 11 years old. She had success and was confident in her ability at this level.

'I realize as a freshman you have a ways to go and you're just learning how high school golf works,” Nacos said. 'I've been golfing competitively since I've been little, so I had high expectations for myself because I have been doing this for a while.”

Washington Coach L.L. Kull recognized her potential. He said he wanted to wait and see how she responded against older players in a varsity meet. Nacos leads the Demons with a 38.4 nine-hole average through five events.

'She has come along nicely and seems to be enjoying herself,” Kull said. 'She has been very successful so far this year.”

Nacos, 15, was introduced to the sport at an early age. Both of her parents and their families golf, so she would accompany them for rounds.

'My whole family golfs,” Nacos said. 'When I was five, we would go out, because that is what we considered fun. We'd all go out as a family.”

Her family also is the source of a key intangible. Kull said Nacos is 'all business” on the course, despite an 'unassuming” personality. She is a fierce competitor.

'I am very competitive,” said Nacos, who also played basketball and ran cross country for the Demons. 'Everyone in my family is competitive, so I come across it naturally.”

Nacos has a tremendous feel for the game. Kull pointed to her short game as her strength, hitting accurate shots with her 8-iron, 9-iron and wedge.

'The thing that she does the best is how she hits her scoring clubs,” Kull said. 'Her distance control has been superb. She is able to get it close and score well when she is around the green.”

She posted one of the state's lowest nine-hole scores with a 34 at Burlington. Nacos combined a solid short game with good course management, leaving her driver in her bag to navigate the narrow layout.

'The course is really tight,” said Nacos, an honor roll student at Washington. 'I played it smart. I didn't pull out my driver, where I could get in trouble. I just laid it out in the fairway. If I had a great shot on the green, it was a birdie putt. If not, I was getting a par.”

Washington has been impressive as a team, as well. The Demons sit atop 4A in nine-hole team score, averaging about nine shots better than the next team. Deanna Peiffer also comes in under 44 and two-time state qualifier Sarah Waite is third on the squad. Kull said she is one of the 'mainstays” of the team. Brenna Burlingame rounds out the top four.

Team results matter to Nacos, according to Kull. The entire team has elevated its games, trying to play as well as they can for as long as they can.

'Much of her success is because she is team oriented,” Kull said. 'She's interested in success for the team. Of course, the better she plays and more successful she is the better chance we have.”

The expectations are only rising for Nacos. She is focused on constant improvement with conference and regional meets on the horizon. The plan is to build and peak in the postseason.

'State is the ultimate goal,” Nacos said. 'You have to take it one tournament at a time and doing well in all these meets is going to be important.”

MVC SUPER MEET

The Mississippi Valley Conference will begin its divisional tournaments with the MVC Super Meet Monday at The Meadows Golf Club in Asbury.

Team and individual scores also will serve as the first round results for divisional play that will continue at separate locations on May 11.

Last year, Linn-Mar captured the Super Meet team title at Hunters Ridge, topping Cedar Rapids Xavier by three strokes. The Lions snapped a three-year title streak by Cedar Falls. Iowa City West had won all of its meets entering the week, including the CRANDIC title last week at Ellis Golf Course.

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