Sustaita fired a 76 and is tied for sixth in the individual standings, and Belton posted a 327 to sit in eighth place after the tournament’s first round Thursday at Twin Rivers Golf Club.
The 36-hole event concludes today. The top two teams and top two other individuals will qualify for the UIL state tournament in May.
“As a team, we had some regional jitters today,” Tigers coach Jim Hellums said. “We feel like we can make up enough strokes to make it into the top five.
“And Johnathan has a good shot at advancing. He shot a 70 on this same course last month, so he has it in him.”
Plano West (298) leads the team competition followed by The Woodlands (305). Belton - the District 13-5A runner-up - is eighth, three shots ahead of 13-5A champion College Station A&M Consolidated (330).
Dylan Anthony carded a 79 for the Tigers, and Trey Woodward (85), Garrett Beaty (87) and Chance Bartek (88) rounded out Belton’s card.
Harker Heights’ Jeffrey Hoy also shot a 76 and is tied with Sustaita for sixth.
