MISSION VIEJO – In a way, JSerra coach Brian Schippel was hoping the Lions would end up in a sudden-death playoff like they did last year when they played in the JSerra Tournament at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club.
It was exciting, Schippel said, to watch nine guys standing in the fairway 100 yards from the hole, getting ready to hit a wedge into the green to determine which team would leave the better ball tournament with the trophy.
This season, though, the Lions’ Gold team took all the drama out of the event, shooting a 4-under-par 68 on Monday to edge the Mission Viejo Gold squad by one stroke and give JSerra its second consecutive victory in the tournament.
Only three teams in the 12-team field finished under par with the University Gold team – William Tse, Koichiro Sato and Griffin Pace – taking third after carding a 1-under-par 71.
Each golfer on the team played their own ball, but only the lowest score among the team counted for each hole.
“This is the deepest team and the youngest that I have had. We only have one senior on the varsity team (Blake Gaarenstroom) and two freshmen and two sophomores,” Schippel said. “Bu it is full of talent.”
The Lions have finished in the 180s in one of their two matches – one of the early-season goals for the team – and have a 190.5 scoring average. So far, four players – Spencer Allen, Christian Schrodt, Chase Lasken and Jacob Martin – have all been a medalist.
On Monday, Allen posted a 2-over-par 74 to earn medalist honors at the JSerra Tournament. He was on the winning Gold team along with Gaarenstroom and Nick Grover.
“I think the kids are starting to realize how deep they are and how good they are,” Schippel said. “Being young, we just have to make sure that we can do it consistently.”
Consistency doesn’t seem to be a problem for the Diablos, however. This the second tournament in which they have finished inside the top 5. Mission Viejo placed fifth in the season-opening Servite Tournament at Western Hills Country Club a week ago.
“And we left a few out there in both tournaments,” Mission Viejo coach J.R. Wiemann said. “There is a lot of potential on this team. The kids are all into it right now, and they have been working really hard and getting better fast.”
Jake Newman, Greg Murphy and Hudson Borthwick were on the second-place Mission Viejo team. Despite struggling with the putter on Monday, Newman led the Diablos with a 75.
“At this place on this day. It wasn’t a bad day at all,” Wiemann said. Much of the tournament was played in a swirling unforgiving wind.
“He (Newman) made a bunch of pars. He is down the middle all of the time,” Wiemann said. “And he has been very good getting the kids to go in the right direction.”
Results
At Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, par 72
- JSerra Gold 68, 2. Mission Viejo Gold 69, 3. University Gold 71, 4. JSerra Crimson 72, 5. Orange Lutheran Red 73, 5. Mission Viejo Scarlet 73, 5. Tesoro 73, 8. Fountain Valley 75, 8. Orange Lutheran Gold 75, 10. Loyola 77, 10. Foothill 77, 12. University Blue 80
