Kendall Flynn is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover North Canyon High School for AZPreps365.com

Horizon High School hosted the Aguila Invitational Sept. 30 at the Aguila Golf Course in Laveen. Aguila is a municipal golf course at the base of South Mountain and the perfecting setting for North Canyon High School’s new boy’s golf head coach Jason Barkley to lead his team through its first invitational in eight years.

"When I asked them if they wanted to play in an 18-hole tournament, they said, ‘Heck yeah, we’ve never done it,’” Barkley said. “They’re all going to be nervous, but I’ll just tell them to go out there, play, and have fun.”

North Canyon placed 20 out of 21 teams at the Invitational, finishing with an 89-over-par 377.

In the individual competition, junior Noah Nez led North Canyon, finishing 56th out of 108 golfers with a 13-over-par 85.

The Rattlers kept their energy high throughout the tournament and focused on their individual games rather than the competition. Whether it was fist bumps for par or clapping at a long and straight drive, the Rattlers supported their competitors and created a positive atmosphere.

“Don’t go against the people. Go against the course,” said North Canyon junior Dominic Murphy. Murphy finished the Invitational in 107th place with 45-over-par 117.

King Turner, a senior at North Canyon, had a challenging time on the front nine of the course, with no shots at par. However, he completed the back nine with pars on the 10th and 13th holes and a birdie on the 15th. Turner finished the Invitational in a three-way tie for 75th place with a 19-over-par 91.

“It’s just trying to stay locked in on the good stuff,” Turner said. “Think of the positives, not the negatives.”

Senior Cody Skartveit recovered from two bogeys and four double bogeys to making four simultaneous pars on holes 7 through 10. Skartveit tied for 90th, with 25 over par.

Barkley said he strives to teach the team positivity through their matches, hoping it affects their mindset going into large tournaments that require mental strength.

“I just like the game in general, and it teaches the kids more than just golf,” Barkley said. “It teaches them life lessons too, like being honest, fair, and just being polite.”

The Rattlers will compete in their last match of the season today against Moon Valley and Estrella Foothills.