The second time proved to be the charm for Pottsboro junior golf star Alli Reily.
Reily recently finished second in the Class 3A State Golf Tournament at Shadow Glen County Club in Manor. As a freshmen, she led the Lady Cardinals to a fourth-place team finish and finish just two strokes short of earning an individual medal.
“Congratulations to Alli Reily on her 2nd place finish,” the school posted on its Facebook page. “The Cardinalsnation is proud of you.”
In the days leading up to the tournament, Reily has been doing everything she could to prepare for her big moment, including regular practices on local courses seen as being similar to Shadow Glen.
Pottsboro coach Joe Barnett has been among those taking notice.
“Alli is a great kid; works hard,” Barnett told the Herald-Democrat in the days leading up to the tournament. “She is always excited to play. She has a good chance to win it (state); she loves competition and there will be some great competition at state.”
For Reily, it’s almost as if it comes naturally, with her and her father being regular players when she grew up.
“I spent my day on the course,’ she said.
Again, Barnett said those experiences are easy to see in the way she carries herself and always competes.
“The most important thing is that she keeps her composure,” he said. “She doesn’t let the last hole affect her.”
Like her brother, Austyn, who won two state titles at Pottsboro and now competes at the University of Houston, Reily dreams of competing at the next level.
“We’ll see what happens,” she said.
As for now, Reily’s wish list is clear.
“My goals were to win district; win regionals and win state this year,” she said. “I really want to accomplish that last one.”
