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Damian Dottore. Sports. HS Reporter.

// MORE INFORMATION: Associate Mug Shot taken August 24, 2010 : by KATE LUCAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

CHINO HILLS – Servite boys golf coach Dane Jako knew the Friars’ winning streak wasn’t going to last forever, but that didn’t make the results at the Servite Invitational on Monday any less disappointing.

Not only did Servite fall from the top of the leaderboard in the season-opening tournament for the first time since 2009, but the Friars didn’t even place in the top five, finishing sixth, 15 strokes behind Diamond Bar, which won with a 379.

Four of the five Brahmas who teed off on Western Hills Country Club, Servite’s home course, finished in the 70s. Sahith Theegala and Dean Sakata led the team with 1-over-par 73. Theegala earned medalist honors, beating his teammate on a card off.

“I feel we kind of gave it away. But when your No. 1 and No. 2 golfers shoot an 82 and 79, you don’t have much of a chance,” Jako said.

Brandon Braeme led the Friars with a 4-over 76. Andrew Castaneda (77) and Matt Wilson (79) were the only other Servite golfers to break 80.

“That’s (having only three of six players shoot in the 70s) kind of surprising,” Jako said. “But we just picked a bad day to have a bad day.”

Led by Roman Aragon’s 2-over 74, Capistrano Valley finished second with a 388, edging defending CIF State champion Stevenson of Pebble Beach by one stroke. Los Alamitos placed third, shooting a 391, followed by Long Beach Wilson and Santa Margarita. Both the Bruins and the Eagles carded a 393.

“Hopefully, this gives us some momentum heading into the season,” Capistrano Valley coach Mike Minier said. “This is not that unexpected. We have got five seniors this year.”

Graydon Hughes and Colin McSweeney are two of them and they added a 76 and 77 for the Cougars. McSweeney’s score came as a bit of a surprise to Minier because up until just a few days ago, McSweeney was playing on the school’s basketball team, leaving him little time to work on his golf game.

“We have got the experience, and it showed out there today. They obviously know how to play well and manage their game and put a sore up,” Minier said. “We should have a good season. This is a good tournament because it has a lot of good schools, and it is a good way to gauge where you are early on. It looks good for us early. Hopefully, it looks good for us late, too.”

Aragon tied for third in the individual competition with Los Al’s Jonathan Young. But Young was awarded third on a card off, breaking the tie with his birdie on the 399-yard par-4 No. 1.

Last weekend’s storm drenched Western Hills and the fairways were still quite wet and muddy, which made the course play longer than 6,708 yards.

“I’ll take it (the 74). The front nine killed me,” Aragon said.  He was 5-over on the front side, opening with a par, bogey, bogey, bogey. And that doesn’t include his double bogey on the 379-yard, par 4 No. 3 after landing in the creek. The tournament uses a shotgun start, and Aragon’s teed off on the sixth.

But Aragon was three under on the back nine with three birdies.

“I hung in there, and got it back a little bit,” he said. “We are coming into the season very optimistic. Hopefully, this will bring us more momentum for league and we will see where we go from there.”  

In the Ayala Tournament:

For the third consecutive season, Mater Dei won the tournament at Los Coyotes Country Club, shooting a 386, which put the Monarchs, one shot ahead of second-place Edison.

Marcus de la Rosa holed five birdies in his round on the South Course to lead the Monarchs with a 1-under-par 73. Freshman Issei Tanabe and Jacob Biss fired a 74 and 75, respectively for Mater Dei.

Marina placed third, posting a 391.