Brea Olinda takes control of Century League
ANAHEIM HILLS – Coming into the season, Coach Nancy Smith set one goal for her Brea Olinda girls golf team. Find some way to beat Canyon.
It was not going to be easy for the Wildcats do pull it off, considering the Comanches are the two-time and defending CIF-SS Southern Region team champions. And the last three years, Canyon won every meeting between these Century League rivals.
“That’s why this is so huge,” Smith said. “I am not going to lie.”
Even though the No.1 Wildcats didn’t have one player post a score in the 30s at Anaheim Hills Golf Course, Brea Olinda still managed to post its second victory against the Comanches in less than a week, edging No. 3 Canyon by two strokes on Tuesday, 219-221. Brea posted a 202-207 victory against Brea at Diamond Bar Golf Course on Thursday.
The Wildcats (11-1, 7-0), who have won nine consecutive matches, still have to play Esperanza, Villa Park and Foothill, but this victory all but wrapped up the Century League title, which would be their first since 2007.
“It is a little frustrating (to lose by two strokes), but at the same time, I knew it was going to be a tough match,” Canyon coach Amber Petruzzelli said. “They have a have solid team. We gave it all we had today, but there’s only so much you can do.”
Elisabeth Bernabe was the only player in the match to break 40, shooting a 1-over-par 37 to medal in the sixth consecutive match for Canyon (4-2). Dakota Brown led the Wildcats with a 5-over-par 41.
The 219 equals the highest round that the Wildcats have posted this season, and it’s only the third time in 12 matches that they failed to come in under 210, giving them a 206.8 stroke average in nine-hole matches.
Watching the Wildcats essentially clinch the league title on the Comanches’ home course, Petruzzelli said wasn’t all that disappointing.
“There’s still a chance for us to go far (in CIF tournament season). Losing to them last week gave us little bug to try and get out there and play our best,” she said. “But this is not the end of the world. We are still having fun.”
