By a margin of six strokes, the Reedley College Tiger's men's golf team won the school's first California Community College Athletic Association championship since 2016.
"I'm really proud of the kids," said Tiger head coach Scott Stark. The Tigers shot the lowest team round of the 21st century after carding a combined 19-under-par 711 on the 6,795-yard, par-73 course at Dragonfly GC in Madera, CA. The previous low-round team total since 2000 took place in 2009, when Fresno City shot a team score of 712 at Sierra View Country Club in Roseville--which coincidentally was also coached by Scott Stark.
Reedley's Elias Pettersson tied for the low round on Monday and of the event with a 6-under-par 67 and won all-state honors. On Sunday (Day 1), Reedley's Chase Bird and Napa Valley's A.J. Tomasini each carded 67s.
"From one to six, we felt like everybody was a one for us and they had to contribute in their own way. We don't reall have a ladder per se and they all contributed in their own way. We were just most consistent which is what I'm proud of. Somebody had to do it. They all contributed together and that was the biggest thing, it was a true team win."
Preston Harris tied Bird for third with a 69-71=140, just missing all-state honors. Jack Peters tied for 18th with a 75-71=146. Preston Castleton tied for 41st out of 60 with a 76-74=150 while Josh Bennett shot a 72-80 for 152.
Saddleback College took state runner-up honors with a team score of 13-under, 717, which, unfortunately for the Bobcats, would've won a state title in 20 of the last 21 state tournaments. Sierra College (724) finished third, followed by Napa Valley (731), Fresno City (732), Cuyamaca (733), Riverside City (734) and College of the Desert (736).
"We couldn't really relax," said Stark. "I told the Coach from Saddleback, he brought out the best in us because we knew we had to shoot low to beat them. The kids came into the tournament knowing we'd probably have to shoot 10-, 12-, or 15-under legimately to win. To shoot 19 under is above and beyond my wildest dreams."
Overall this was a stellar season for the Tigers.....9th consecutive conference championship, our 6th NorCal Championship, and the lowest under-par-ever State Championship for the 2nd time in program history.