After winning back-to-back Class 4A state championships, Doral Academy has moved up to 5A boys golf and already looks like a contender. The Dragons finished third in their first two Mountain League meets, trailing only Bishop Gorman and Faith Lutheran.

Coach Andrew Grisnik, who has led the program since 2020, said the team’s immediate focus is on regionals. “Our goal last year was to get that second state championship. Our goal this year really hasn’t changed. But regionals is our first goal because you can’t get to state if you don’t do well in regionals.”

Junior Michael Edwards, who placed third individually at the 4A state meet in 2025, believes the Dragons can compete with the top programs. “Moving from 4A to 5A has been a big jump in competitiveness,” Edwards said. “But we’ve always wanted to play at the top.” He added that he and senior Luke Cheplak both have shots at individual titles.

Cheplak, who finished second in 4A state last year and fourth in 2024, sees the team as underrated. “I think we are huge underdogs. Everybody needs to respect us a little more. The sky’s the limit for this team. We’ve got great team chemistry, and we just have to tighten up a couple things.” Cheplak will play for Division II St. Martin’s University next year.

Doral’s top three golfers — Edwards, Cheplak, and Tyler Cleveland — provide a strong foundation, but depth remains a question. Grisnik noted that the less experienced players need to slow down and focus on each shot. “I look at each of my players differently, and I coach them differently. They just need to slow down and make sure they know their goal on each shot.”

In the Mountain League standings, Bishop Gorman leads with 20 points, followed by Faith Lutheran (18) and Doral (16). Sierra Vista, Arbor View, and Shadow Ridge round out the list. Coronado tops the Desert League. Doral’s next league meet is April 1 at Sienna. Regionals are May 6-7, and the state championship is May 12-13.