Northern California NCGA/CIF H.S. Girls Champshp
WOODLAND, Calif. (Nov 6, 2006) -– By winning the NCGA/CIF Girls High School Golf Championship Monday at the Yolo Fliers Club, the girls of St. Francis High School in Sacramento proved yet again that team camaraderie and trust go a long way towards winning a championship.
The team of six coached by Kate O’Neil shot 395 to win handily over their closest competitors, Santa Catalina High School in Monterey. Coach O’Neil credited her team’s victory to their mental focus. “Everyday in practice we work on course management and pressure situations. We hold competitions like putting contents and closest to the hole to simulate competition during a round so that the girls remain focused mentally.” Junior golfer Laurie Lien agreed with her coach when describing another key to their victory. “As a player I never feel that much pressure on myself because I know that if I don’t play well someone else on my team will be there to pick me up. I’m nervous for the team way more than I am for myself.” Without any seniors on the team, St. Francis promises to be back next year to defend their title. Carondelet took third place in an exciting card-off to move on to the State Championship next week.
In the individual competition, Marina Martinez fired a three-under-par 69 to set an early pace that no one could match. The Beyer High School senior was first off the tenth tee and made her presence known early by birdying her second hole, the par-five eleventh. For the next nine holes consistency was the name of the game as she calmly pared each one before chipping in on the par-four third hole for birdie. The 20-yard chip shot was the result of only one of two missed fairways on the day. Then, almost inexplicably, Martinez chipped in again on the next hole to save par causing her dad to exclaim, “Somebody stop me!” When asked to describe the unlikely series of events, the 17-year-old said, “I haven’t had a chip-in in a while, but then to have two in a row was just…wow! Amazing!”
Candace Chan of McClatchy High School finished second in the individual competition, one behind the champion with a 70. Mina Harigae of Robert Louis Stevenson finished third with a one-under-par 71. Also moving on to the State Championship in the individual competition will be Alexandra Groetsema, Joanne Lee, and Samantha Saffold.
Final Team Standings:
St. Francis 395
Santa Catalina 418
Carondelet 421
McClatchy 421
Robert Louis Stevenson 432
Lodi 441
Marin Catholic 441
St. Ignatius 447
Monte Vista 462
Pleasant Valley 513
Enterprise 531
Lowell 578
Final Individual Standings:
Marina Martinez (I)* Beyer 69
Candace Chan* McClatchy 70
Mina Harigae* Robert Louis Stevenson 71
Alexandra Groetsema (I)* Palo Alto 74
Joanne Lee (I)* Carlmont 74
Marissa Mar St. Francis 74
Samantha Saffold (I)* Del Campo 74
Chelsea Stelzmiller (I) Union Mine 75
Diane Kwon (I) J.F. Kennedy 75
Tiffany Dong St. Francis 76
Ariana Patterson Santa Catalina 77
Emily Childs (I) Alameda 77
Joy Kim (I) Albany 77
Daniela Okino St. Francis 79
Jane Lee Monte Vista 79
Nicole Ferrero Lodi 79
Courtney Mazzei Santa Catalina 80
Ellese Dias Carondelet 80
Haley Andreas (I) Pacific Grove 80
Katrina Delen-Briones Lowell 80
Rachel Sibbitt Marin Catholic 80
Rosalie Tolentino St. Ignatius 80
Caitlin Locke (I) Bret Harte 81
Lori Lien St. Francis 81
Allison Firmeza Carondelet 83
Jam Vilairatana Robert Louis Stevenson 83
Eleana Collins Santa Catalina 84
Julie Kindell Carondelet 84
Kercia Brakel Lodi 84
Lauren Mackey McClatchy 84
Erika Salinas McClatchy 85
Jennifer Moore St. Francis 85
Kate Tscharner Lodi 85
Leah Hammergren Carondelet 85
Hope Keaney Marin Catholic 86
Jody Ho (I) Piedmont Hills 86
Cristina Bowery Santa Catalina 87
Jari-Lee Tolentino St. Ignatius 87
Megan West St. Ignatius 87
Sharon Lu Marin Catholic 87
Becky Miller Monte Vista 88
Angie Leong Monte Vista 89
Brooke Stephens Pleasant Valley 89
Samantha Quon McClatchy 89
Taylor Vigil Carondelet 89
Tiffany Krusemark (I) Las Plumas 89
Courtney Soekland (I) Santa Rosa 90
Ryan Tuttle Santa Catalina 90
Victoria Student St. Ignatius 90
Jaclyn Fletcher Lodi 91
Kaleigh Morgan Marin Catholic 91
Amanda Deering Robert Louis Stevenson 92
Andrea Fung (I) Lincoln 92
Courtney Dong St. Francis 92
Justine Oh Robert Louis Stevenson 92
Jamie Kirk McClatchy 93
Alex Wilbur Robert Louis Stevenson 94
Megan Morgan Enterprise 94
Lani May Centeno Santa Catalina 96
Ananda Rochita Lowell 97
Natalie Way Marin Catholic 97
Sara Banke Monte Vista 97
Ellen Quigley Carondelet 98
Maya Reddy (I) Shasta 98
Taryn Yee McClatchy 98
Nicole Brisbois Marin Catholic 100
Heather Fegley Pleasant Valley 101
Leah Towns Lodi 102
Ashley Strain Enterprise 103
Renee Elegio St. Ignatius 103
Jessye Shepherd Pleasant Valley 105
Katherine Warren St. Ignatius 105
Katy Yu Robert Louis Stevenson 106
Carrie Burkett Enterprise 107
Kaileigh Bible Enterprise 107
Seana Olson Pleasant Valley 107
Ashley Novosad (I) Lassen 109
Erin Bowser Monte Vista 109
Jaimie Malone Pleasant Valley 111
Devalin Jackson Lowell 115
Catherine Laiacona (I) Mount Shasta 116
Tracy Timmons Pleasant Valley 116
Brittany Keegan Enterprise 120
Kayla McPherson Lodi 120
Sofia Garcia Enterprise 141
Ashley Ong Lowell 142
Samantha Serafica Lowell 144
Angeline Tang Lowell 157