Winning has become expected for the Servite boys golf team.
After beating Trinity League rival Santa Margarita, 181-203, on Tuesday at Western Hills Country Club in Chino Hills, the Friars extended their unbeaten streak this season to 10 matches.
With this latest triumph, No. 1 Servite has lost only once time since the start of the 2015 season, coming up a stroke short in a match against Long Beach Wilson at Recreation Park Golf Course. Their record during that span is 56-1.
Kyle Kinnane, Jack Rahon and Joey Torii have been on the varsity roster in all three of those seasons, and on Tuesday, they were among the Friars’ scoring players to post a score in the 30s
“They can be one of those special teams,” Servite coach Dane Jako said. “They could be as good as all my CIF championship teams, even the ones that went to state. But they have a long way to go, but they are playing pretty good.”
The Friars (10-0) dropped their nine-hole scoring average to 184.9 after posting their third lowest score this season at their home course, Western Hills. They have carded a 179 and 180 there in victories against Los Alamitos and San Juan Hills.
One Tuesday, Rahon medaled for the Friars, shooting a 1-under-par 34 while Brendan Gonzalez and Kinnane each added a 36. Freshman Cameron Xiao and Torii rounded out the scoring for Servite, posting a 37 and 38, respectively.
Greg Memo and Brad Stockton led the Eagles (5-4) with scores of 39.
Xiao, Jako said, has the potential to be one of the best freshmen to play for Servite in quite some time. Statistically, Jako said, he is better at this stage of his career at the school than Patrick Cantlay, a PGA Tour player who recently finished second in the Valspar Open in Tampa, Fla.
Xiao is averaging 35.8 this season, which is 1.6 strokes better than Cantlay’s mark after his freshman season, and he helped the Friars make history in the West Covina Tournament on Monday. He led the Friars with a 69 as the Servite carded a 283 to beat the old tournament record by 18 strokes.
“Right now, this is a very cohesive group. The seniors are providing great leadership. Everyone fits in. They all get along,” Jako said. “Now they are playing where I thought they should have started the season at, but I think they can still get even a little bit better.”
