If there is safety in numbers, then it’s safe to say that Aberdeen Roncalli could be in the mix for a possible team title during the Class A State Golf Tournament.

The event takes place today and tomorrow at Moccasin Creek Country Club where the Cavaliers won their seventh straight region championship a week ago.

Roncalli features a balanced team attack with any of a number of golfers capable of shooting a low round for the squad. At the region, the Cavaliers were led by pair of golfers (Andrew Gerlach and Harper Schnabel) who turned in their lowest scores of the season.

“I think that one thing that helps us is, I’ve got five guys this year that want to be on the stage,” said Roncalli coach Jon Murdy. “They want to be in the state tournament. They want to do well at the state tournament. Now, it’s just more controlling those expectations on every hole.”

Other key golfers for Roncalli include Sawyer Henrich, Finn Anderson, and Lucas Daggett.

While there are multiple schools who have elite golfers like Vermillion, St. Thomas More, Winner, Chamberlain, Sioux Valley, Dakota Valley, Tea Area and Sioux Falls Christian, it appears that they may not have the overall depth of Roncalli, which could come into play if the team scores are close.

“All these teams have a really good player on their team,” Murdy said, “but they don’t necessarily have five guys that compete on every course that they go to.”

As was proven all season, the Cavaliers do. Murdy said that every tournament the team competed in this year featured five golfers who all shot in the 80s or lower.

“That helps us dramatically,” Murdy.

While the top four scores are included in the team points, most teams don’t have a safety net should a golfer have a tough round during the two-day event. Roncalli has had the luxury of five golfers playing solid at each event.

“I think we have a good chance to have all five of our guys above the halfway point of that tournament,” Murdy said. “That’s going to be very helpful.”

The Cavaliers should also benefit from having a knowledge of the course.

However, Murdy isn’t ready to say that his team is the favorite to win the state championship.

“I don’t really ever think we’re truly the favorite,” Murdy said.

Murdy said his players need to stay focused and not let a bad hole get the best of them.

“Being able to accept the results, whether it’s good or bad and just keep moving on. We’ve been working on that, basically all year,” Murdy said. “If you’re going to have a good day, go ahead and have a good day out there. If you’re going to have a bad day, that’s fine, but we have to make sure we’re staying in it for the 18 holes.”

Murdy said the physical side of the game also plays a key role and goes hand-in-hand with the mental aspect.

“The physical side I believe has a big part of the mental side. If you’re physically fatigued, it’s very, very hard for you to stay mentally into it,” Murdy said. “If you’re rested, recouped, ready to go, it’s going to be easier to stay mentally into it. But again, you have to try hard to stay mentally into it.”

Roncalli won its region last week with a team score of 323.

Murdy believes that his team will have to shoot somewhere in the 318-320 range each day to be in the title hunt on Tuesday. Last year, the Cavaliers shot a 332 on the opening day and then posted a 355 on the second day of the tourney to finish with a 687. Tea Area won the tournament with a 669. Kaleb Jost of Sioux Falls Christian won the individual title and is back in this year’s field.

Murdy said that last year was more of an unknown with his squad, but this year he has a better feel of what his golfers are capable of.

“2021 year was a surprise to me. I didn’t know what to expect, and now being with these kids longer, realizing they want more, it’s not necessarily Roncalli, it’s the kids,” Murdy said. “They have more expectations of themselves to where, it just makes my job easier when everyone that you’re going to go talk to or coach that day, they want to get better.”