HUNTINGTON BEACH – By Marina’s standards, Thursday’s Sunset League match at Meadowlark Golf Club wasn’t all that great. The Vikings failed to break 180 at their home course for only the third time in 10 matches there this year and finished 7-over as a team.
But it still turned out to be a rather historic day for the Vikings as they clinched their first league championship in 20 seasons with a 182-190 victory against Newport Harbor.
“Our league year in and out is a meat grinder. It is so tough,” Marina coach Jim Morris said. “ All of the programs are good, and the coaches are outstanding. You can’t look past any team. You never know which way a match is going to go.”
Whenever Marina plays at Meadowlark, the Vikings have a pretty good idea what the result is going to be – a Marina victory. This season, Marina is undefeated at Meadowlark, averaging a 2-over-par 177 in 10 matches.
“We knew we were the underdog coming in. We have only beat them a couple of times here in the last six or eight years,” Newport Harbor coach Scott Tarnow said. “That is the Sunset League, though, someone always ends up dominating, and this was their (the Vikings) year.”
Sophomore Cameron Kaneko medaled for the sixth time this season for the Vikings, shooting a 2-under 33 Thursday. Three other Marina golfers also broke 40 in the Newport Harbor match as Patrick Pockels and Nick Swanson both posted a 1-over 36 and Justin Gullock added a 2-over 37.
Max Meisenheimer and Landon Knight led the Sailors (12-4, 6-3) with a 37.
“What has helped us this year is we have never had two (players with) bad scores,” Morris said. “One guy has a bad day at the most. If we all do well, then we are under par.”
The Vikings will play in the CIF-SS team regional in two weeks at Talega Golf Club in San Clemente. During a recent practice round there, four players posted a score in the 70s, which should put them among the favotites in the tournament.
“You have to play well that day, though, and there are going to be some good teams there,” Morris said. “It just kind of depends can all of the pistons fire at the same time.”
In other boys golf:
No. 7 Woodbridge 182, Irvine 208: Freshman Hide Yoshihara carded a 3-under-par 33 at Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course to help the Warriors (15-3, 9-1) clinch the Pacific Coast League championship.
No. 2 Tesoro 195, Trabuco Hills 207: Jack Ireland finished with a 2-under-par 34 at Dove Canyon Country Club to lead the Titans (13-2, 7-1) in the South Coast League match.
No. 8 El Dorado 203, Brea Olinda 218: Gus Petredes shot an even-par 36 for the Golden Hawks (13-0, 8-0) in the Century League match at Diaomond Bar Golf Course.