It was a score that came a day late for the Los Alamitos boys golf team.
On Wednesday at Old Ranch Country Club, the No. 4 Griffins eased to a 185-192 nonleague victory against No. 1 Servite with all five of their players finishing in the 30s.
Had the Griffins posted this score on Tuesday while playing host to rival Marina on Tuesday at Old Ranch, would have had an easier road to the Sunset League championship.
This score would have given the Griffins a five-stroke victory against Marina. Instead, Los Alamitos turned in one of its worst performances of the season on its home course and lost by eight shots to the Vikings.
Now, to have any chance at finishing the season in first, the Griffins will have to beat the Vikings at Meadowlark Golf Club, Marina’s home course and a place the Vikings rarely lose.
Jonathan Young and Chris Kim both carded an even-par 36 to medal on Wednesday for Los Alamitos. For Young it was a nine stroke improvement from what he did the day before against Marina.
So what gives? The Griffins were playing the same course against Servite.
“Yesterday (Tuesday) was a very important match and I was too focused on trying to beat Marina, and I wasn’t focusing on playing my golf,” said Young, who finished with all pars on his bogey-free trip around the front nine on Wednesday. “I was too focused on what the other guys were shooting.”
Having to finalize his roster for the Trinity League finals on Thursday, Servite coach Dane Jako brought a slightly different lineup into the match, giving two seldom used varsity players a final look before selecting the eight players for the tournament.
Matt Wilson led the retooled Friars on Wednesday, shooting a 1-over-par 37. Davis Holman, Brandon Brame and Joey Torii each added a 38 for Servite.
For Los Alamitos coach John Haygood, this result showed that the Griffins have “tremendous character.”
“They could have just folded their tents and went away (after the loss to Marina), and said we only have two weeks left in the season and are done and burnt out,” he said. “But they didn’t. They figured out what they needed to do.”
