Villa Park continues dominant ways at home course

CORONA - It happens so rarely that the simple question gave Villa Park coach Chris Salio pause.

"When did we last lose here? Well, let's see ... geez. It has been a while," Salio said. "We have only lost once here in three years."

So the odds were already against Corona del Mar even before the Sea Kings teed off against the Spartans in Monday's nonleague boys golf match at Green River Golf Course. 

And even though No.3 Corona del Mar had five players post scores in the 70s in this 18-hole match, the inevitable happened. The No. 8 Spartans left this golf course with another victory, edging the previously unbeaten Sea Kings by four strokes, 382-386.

“What can I say? They got us to come to Green River,” Corona del Mar coach Mike Starkweather said.

So far, Santa Margarita is the only team to get the better of the Spartans here recently, and even then the two teams finished the match tied with the victory going to the Eagles’ based on the score of the sixth man.   

Villa Park's Ryan Tetrault finished Monday’s round birdie, eagle and posted a 72 to earn medalist honors in the match. The Spartan's recent run of success at Green River is mostly can be attributed mostly to Tetrault. Judging by his scores, the Villa Park senior feels more than comfortable here.

Last season, he shot a 29 on the front nine, and just last week, he was the medalist for the Spartans (4-2) once again after carding a 3-under 33.

“Ryan finishing the way he does here, well, that was the difference for us,” Salio said, “when you compare what he did to Mike (Moorhead) did.”

Moorhead, the Sea Kings’ top player, finished with a 4-over 76, which was one of the lowest scores post one his team. Brian Mull also shot a 76 as Corona del Mar (5-1) averaged 77.2 strokes in the match.

Compare that to the Spartans’ 76.4 stroke average even though they had figure an 80 in the final score. It helped that Kethan Reddy added a 74 for Villa Park.

“Beating a quality team like this (Corona del Mar) is going to do a lot for us because we had a big set back against Canyon,” Salio said.

The Comanches beat the Spartans by a stroke at Anaheim Hill Golf Course on Thursday, making the Spartans 1-2 in their last three matches. “As far as our team goes, I don’t know what is going to happen. We need some of the guys at the back end (of the lineup) to start posting some solid scores. But now they have got the monkey off their backs and they know that can beat a good team.”