T-Birds’ Duncan named All-District
A common trend with sports and COVID-19 involves the sports seasons being cut short. The New Mexico Junior College golf team was another victim of the coronavirus shortening a season. NMJC head coach James Berry spoke on how much of the season was lost and on one of his golfer's receiving an important award this season.
"In terms of a percentage, it was probably 60 percent of our season," Berry said. "But the big thing was we lost all of our post season. In junior college, in our district are three events, including our national championship, which all got cancelled. If we were going by what the calendar should say, we would be competing in our first national qualifier right now. We lost a big part of it."
The Thunderbirds not only lost out on playing in the national championship and playing for team and individual honors, they also lost out on hosting the Thunderbird Invitational Tournament at Rockwind Community Links."It's a big deal to not be able to have your own home event," Berry said. "We only get to do it one time per year. For the sophomores, Liam (Duncan) and Ben (Bushnell), that was their last chance to defend their own home turf." Liam Duncan, a sophomore, was selected as All-District honors in District II by the Golf Coaches Association of America Ping. Berry called it a huge achievement for Duncan.
"It's a really big deal. We play in the toughest district in NJCAA golf," he said. s we an - ty to have an All-American team this year, but as well. We have to wait until the end of the year to get the All-American team and we are not going to have that this year. All-District is the first step in that direction and his name is on a list with a bunch of other good players, it's pretty cool for Liam and our school."
The golfer from Kirkcaldy, Scotland finished the season with three top five finishes, one top 10, and finished as the No. 9 ranked golfer. He had a scoring average of 70.73 this season. Berry praised Duncan's improved scoring average and how he was in midst of a great run that could have ended in an individual national championship.
"That's very good (his scoring average)," Berry said. "That's an improvement of two shots per round. He was making a lot of progress.
"I think his goal at the beginning of the year was to be an individual national champion and he just won't have that opportunity here," Berry continued. "He is transferring out next year, so his run with us is over and you hear that story from golfers all around the country, especially the seniors who are at these bigger four year schools, unless they decide to come back. A lot of those guys are gone and that's the end of their season and career and its really heartbreaking for
Duncan is committed to join University of Louisiana-Monroe next season to continue his collegiate career playing Division I golf. Berry expects him to continue to be successful and show the improvement he showed every year as a Thunderbird.
"Liam is an interesting kid and a great kid and he will have a great future no matter what he does," he said. "His success at the next level will simply be a product of how hard he works and how he assimilates with his new team and coaches. And a lot of that is unknown. In general Liam has a great attitude and he wants to be a great player and I have no doubt he will have a great career there."
The Thunderbirds where having a successful season until the COVID-19 cancelled the rest of their season. The team was a top five team and seemed poised to make a run for the national championship.
"It's a huge let down," Berry said. "I had a young group and at the time our season got cut short we had four freshman and Liam, one sophomore, playing the majority of the year. So it was sort of a race to get these guys experience and playing their best towards the end of the season. We were definitely peaking at that direction and these guys were highly motivated and focused. These guys goal was to win a national championship so it's really terrible they didn't get a chance to do it but the grand scheme of things we understand that there are bigger things in play. It was a letdown but we will try to come back next year to do it."
Next season the Thunderbirds have eight returning golfers, including 2019 Hobbs High School graduate Tanner Cox, while losing only two to graduation. The team has recruited two highly coveted freshman for next season.