Four Reedley College sophomores and two freshmen combined on Monday for a fifth-place team finish at the California Community College Athletic Association men's golf tournament.
The 36-hole tournament was played at the Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa.
College of the Canyons won its fourth CCCAA state title in the last seven years with a 36-hole total of 734, 18 shots better than second place Santa Barbara City College and 37 shots ahead of the Tigers, who fired a 51-over par team score of 771.
Reedley came into the tournament undefeated on the season, facing mostly Northern California competition. The Tigers actually finished in a tie for fifth overall, tied with Mt. San Antonio. Folsom Lake College finished three shots ahead of the Tigers in fourth place with a team score of 768. Fresno City College finished eighth Tiger freshman Tom O'Rourke (Canberra, AUS) was tied for the overall lead after the first round after firing an even-par 72 but a seven on the eighth hole and a six on the 16th hole raised his second round total to 77. His 36-hole total of 149 was good for a tie for eighth place overall. He missed all-state honors by just one stroke.
Next for Reedley was sophomore Dylan Otto (Kingsburg), who tied for 24th with a 74-80-154. Sophomore Xavier Coreno (Central, (Fresno) bounced back from a morning round of 80 with an afternoon round of 75 to tie for 26th with a 155. After shooting a 75 in the first round, Morgan Cooper (sophomore, Las Vegas, NV) shot a non-scoring 83 in the afternoon to finish in a tie for 36th. Bailey Flickinger (sophomore, Paso Robles) had a non-scoring 81 in the morning and finished with a 159, good for a tie for 44th.
Beau Willett (freshman, Toukley, AUS) finished in a tie for 46th in the field of 60 golfers with an 80-80-160.
This was the fifth consecutive trip to the state tournament for head coach Scott Stark's Tigers, who won the state title in 2016.
By Will Goldbeck