LA VERNE – The boys golf championship banner that Mater Dei had to take down four seasons ago, can now be put back up in the gym for good.
On Monday at Seirra La Verne Country Club, the Monarchs were the only program in the 18-team field that didn’t have to figure an 80 into the final score and won the CIF-SS Western Team Regional with a 366.
The Monarchs finished seven shots clear of second-place Diamond Bar, giving Mater Dei its first boys golf championship in school history.
Although, Mater Dei coach Ollie Martin through the Monarchs accomplished he feat in 2011 when they won a CIF-SS regional tournament at Tijeras Creek Golf Club, but at the time unbeknownst to Martin, the Southern Section did not officially recognize regional tournament triumphs as a CIF championship, so the banner had to come down.
Both the Monarchs and the Brahmas have advanced to the SCGA qualifying tournament on May 27 at Mission Lakes Country Club in Desert Hot Springs.
The Monarchs recently played a five-and-a-half hour practice round at Sierra La Verne CC, and Martin said could tell that his players were especially focused on this tournament, hitting shots from several different areas on each hole.
“That was a very good starting point for us. The guys were determined, and when you came out here today, Martin said, “you could tell they were prepared. We actually got off to a slow start, but the guys stepped it up and had the mental toughness and their effort was tremendous.”
Issei Tanabe posted a 2-under-par 69 to lead the Monarchs with Ryan Mendoza adding an even-par 71 and Marcus De La Rosa carding a 2-over-par 73.
Two times in the final five holes, Tanabe showed off his short game, pitching the ball to within 2 feet from sidehill lies to save par.
“I have been working on my short game a lot, probably more than on the range. The reason why is sometimes the shot is not going to go 100 percent and you have chipping and putting to back it up,” Tanabe said. “It’s like when you have a computer and it gets a virus, you have to have a back up. That is what the short game is.”
The Mater Dei freshman tied Diamond Bar’s Sahith Theegala, who also carded a 69, for the third-lowest score in the tournament. The Brahma’s Jefferson Kao was the medalist with a 66 and Servite junior Matt Wilson shot a 68 to help the Trinity League champion Friars finish third with a 378
The Friars, season, though has come to an end as this year as only the top two teams instead of three as in past seasons gets to advance to Mission Lakes next week.
Wilson will still have a tee time in Desert Hot Springs, however, as the CIF-SS Individual championship will be contested there as well. He earned his place in the tournament by finishing second in the CIF-SS Southern Individual Regional Championship last week in Long Beach.
“I am only really happy if the team makes it,” Wilson said. “Me shooting 68 is irrelevant.”
CIF-SS Western Team Regional Championship
At Sierra La Verne Country Club, par 71, La Verne
1. Mater Dei 366, 2. Diamond Bar 373, 3. Servite 378, 4. Northwood 388, 5. Redlands 392, 6. Huntington Beach 394, 7. Hemet 412, 8. Canyon 427, 9. Walnut 429, 10. Bonita 445, 11. Vista Murrieta 442, 12. Citrus Hill 449, 13. Redondo Union 450, 14. San Dimas 457, 15. Santa Margarita 485, 16. Riverside Prep 506, 17. Grand Terrace 519, 18. Montclair 528
