Santa Margarita gets key Trinity League victory
YORBA LINDA – Santa Margarita girls golf coach Jill Hegna did her best to hide how important Wednesday’s match was for her team.
The last time the Eagles felt the pressure of the Trinity League championship race this season, they lost on their home course to Mater Dei, less than a week after they posted a school-record round there.
To have any chance to finish first in the league standings this fall, Santa Margarita had to beat Orange Lutheran at Black Gold Golf Course.
Malia Valder was in the first group to come in for the Orange Lutheran, and she shot an even-par 36, which held up as the low score in the match. But the Eagles had three players finish in the 30s, and Santa Margarita managed to stay alive in the championship hunt, posting a 202-224 victory.
The round ranks as the third lowest for the Eagles (7-2, 3-1) this season, coming behind the 200 they shot at Dove Canyon Country Club and the 201 they finished with on the South Course at Coto de Caza Country Club. Both of those rounds, by the way, set school records.
The Eagles play Mater Dei on Tuesday at Willowick Golf Course, the Monarchs’ home course. Should the Eagles lose that one, Mater Dei will be in a prime position to win the championship.
“Hopefully, we will be prepared,” Hegna said. “I am really proud of the way that the girls played today. This is the potential that they can play up to. They were mentally relaxed today, and that made the difference in the match.”
Orange Lutheran dropped to 4-6 overall, 4-2 in league.
Kelly Dapper and Sydney Steele both shot a 2-over-par 38 to lead the Eagles at Black Gold. Nicole Yson followed with a 39, which was the second consecutive sub-40 round she has had this week.
Good thing she was able to find her ball after a five-minute search on the ninth hole because she knocked her approach to within 15 feet of the pin and walked off the green with a two-putt par.
“She is very disciplined, and she works hard at her game,” Hegna said.
Yson was the co-medalist when the Eagles played the Monarchs earlier this season after carding a 5-over-par 41 on the South Course at Coto de Caza.
“She is very consistent, too. She is almost too hard on herself,” Hegna said. “When she comes off the course, she’s always saying, 'Oh, I should have had more birdies.' And we are expecting some terrible score, but she always comes up with a great score. She really has done a lot for our team.”
