Freshman almost lifts Canyon to another level

POMONA - Torrance moved into a familiar spot Monday, while the Canyon girls golf team watched its breakout season come to an end Monday at Mountain Meadows Golf Course.

With all six of its players posting scores in the 70s, Torrance won its sixth consecutive CIF-Southern Section team championship, finishing 17 shots ahead of second-place Hart.

After throwing out a 78 as their lowest score, the defending state champion Tartars shot 368, meaning they finished eight over as a team. Anne Cheng led the Tartars with a 1-under 71. Her teammates, Jenny Shin and Rochelle Chan, added a pair of 73s.

Canyon freshman Jessica Vasilic had the lowest score Monday, carding a 3-under 69. The Comanches, though, finished fifth with a score of 394. Only the top four teams advanced to next Monday's WSCGA CIF State Championship qualifying tournament.

Hart, third-place Palm Desert (388) and fourth-place Peninsula (391) will join Torrance at the SCGA Members Course in Murrieta.

"I think we are all pretty bummed. But we are glad that we made it this far," Vasilic said. "That is pretty good for us. But I thought this was a tough course."

The Comanches have been among the best teams in the county for the majority of the season, and earlier this fall, they won the MLK Tournament in Moreno Valley, shooting a 368 to beat Peninsula by 11 strokes. On Monday, Canyon sophomore Raegan Bremer added a 73 and freshman Elisabeth Bernabe finished with a 73.

"This isn't disappointing. I mean 394 is good on any track you play," Canyon coach Jan McKendrick-Harold said. "Jess was 4-under at one point, and Bebe (Bernabe) was under par at one point. It is a team effort and a team disappointment."

Vasilic is now 11-under par through the first three CIF tournaments that she has played this fall. She was 2-under in her individual regional, and her 6-under 66 at El Prado helped the Comanches beat Torrance in the CIF-SS team regional at El Prado on Thursday. The Tartars, however, we missing Shin that day. She was competing in a Futures Tour qualifying tournament.

Vasilic was definitely among the longest hitters at Mountin Meadows. Her drive on 18 traveled some 30 farther than the other players in her group. She almost drove the green on the 242-yard par 4 No. 12 with an iron. Her shot, though, landed pin high in a green-side bunker. Still she got it up and down for a birdie.

"That was the most exciting hole I watched her play today," McKendrick-Harold said.

Of the seven Orange County teams playing at Mountain Meadows, University posted the second lowest score, 409 strokes, and tied Cerritos for seventh. UCLA-bound Ani Gulugian led Trojans with her 2-under 70, which was a 10-stroke improvement over her performance in the CIF-SS Individual tournament here last year. She too is on quite a run in CIF, finishing with round of 4-under, 5-under and 2-under in her three CIF tournaments.

RESULTS

1. Torrance, 368 (Anne Cheng 71, Rochelle Chan 73, Jenny Shin 73, Chae Won Park 75, Michelle Chen 76, Samantha Martin 78); 2. Hart 385; 3. Palm Desert 388; 4. Peninsula 391. 5. Canyon (top scorers: Jessica Vasilic 69, Elisabeth Bernabe 75, Raegan Bremer 73, Lauren Walson 83) 394.

Others:

University (Ani Gulugian 409, Ivy Baek 77)

Troy 413 (Alice Lee Kwon 79, Ashley Chu 79)

Santa Margarita 413 (Amy Alston 73)

San Clemente 419 (Carolina Garza 77)

Northwood 423 (Erica Chean 76)

Newport Harbor 425 (Lindsey Hanna 79)