After preparing for the last two weeks, the Pike Liberal Arts Patriots teed off Monday on the Troy Country Club course for the start of the AISA state golf tournament.

Head coach Gene Allen said the team had started the morning anxious and sluggish but scored well overall in the first round.

“Ryan (Johnson) shot 81, which is not good for him,” Allen said. “He’s not very happy at all with that. Susie (Stell) played really well. She shot an 88, and she’s beating a lot of people. Brax (Barron) played really well and shot a 93, but he could have done better. Christopher Farrah shot a 97, and Seth Arrington shot a 99.”

Allen said Johnson had gotten out to a slower start Monday, but hoped he would be able to come out ready to play today.

“Hopefully he’ll come out today and do a lot better,” Allen said. “He still has a chance to finish in top six … He can come back and make all tournament.”

While Allen said Monday’s weather was near perfect, today’s forecast brings a 60 percent chance for showers and a high of only 73 degrees. Allen said unless there was lightning, the teams were still set to play.

“Well, we’re going to play unless it’s lightning,” Allen said. “If it’s just raining we’ll keep playing. If it rains, it’s going to rain on everyone.”

But, Allen said he is still hopeful for the team to have a better outing today.

“We didn’t play really well overall, but we have a lot of room for improvement for tomorrow,” Allen said. “The weather will have a lot to do with that. Hopefully we’ll come out and play a little better tomorrow.”

Johnson is set to tee off today at 8:45 a.m. with players teeing off every nine minutes following.