Two boys golf tournaments held Monday and another Tuesday at the Tulare Golf Course have narrowed the field for those set to compete in the CIF Central Section Championship Tournament May 19 at Cypress Ridge Golf Course in Arroyo Grande.
The CIF Division II team championship and CIF area individual tournaments took place on Monday at the par-72 course.
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The results were favorable for Bakersfield Christian, the only local team among the 18 in the field. The Eagles shot a collective 400 to win the Division II team title and advance to the upcoming section event. Templeton (404) and Immanuel (406) took second and third, respectively.
Bakersfield Christian players comprising the team title win were, in order of their round, Jake Steele with a 73, Jaden Valpredo with a 74, Carter Warkentin with 81, Andrew Yacoub shot 83 and Connor Carr an 89.
Steele’s score was tied for second-lowest individual. Morro Bay’s Jonas Smith fired a 2-under-par 70. Valpredo’s round was good for a three-way tie for third.
Furthermore on Monday, the Area Individuals Tournament, a separate event just for players who were not able to qualify for the divisional tournament as part of a team, proved to be just fine for Ridgeview’s Ethan Gonzales. He shot a 73 to finish as the top individual. Clovis East’s Jayden Sosa was second with an 80.
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The Division III team championship event, also at Tulare Golf Course, took place on Tuesday. There were 22 teams in the field for this one, including locals Shafter and Tehachapi.
While the Division III team title went to San Luis Obispo’s Mission College Prep with a 410 score and Santa Ynez was the runner-up at 416, it was a good day individually for Shafter’s top golfer, Zale Mantas.
His round of 75 not only led the Generals as a team, but his score advanced him to this Monday’s section tournament. His 75 was second only to Fresno Edison’s Joseph Hart, who carded a 73. Mantas was the South Sequoia League individual champion and the Generals won the SSL team title.
Shafter coach Kevin Eubanks said Mantas’ round was going very well and that he held a two-shot lead with six holes to go. Four bogeys among those six remaining ended his chances of being the top individual. Eubanks also said Mantas birdied four of his first six holes and also birdied the par-5 18th hole.
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Shafter, playing in its first-ever CIF divisional golf tournament, finished 12th in the team scoring with a 468. After Mantas, Jake Sisneros was next at 92 and Benito Martinez had a 93. Matthew Bazaldua shot 102 and Micah Maldonado had a 106.
“It’s difficult to know what to expect from a team standpoint when the field is filled with teams we mostly hadn’t seen all year,” Eubanks said. “But the boys competed well in a high-pressure situation, earning a place at the Central Section championships and building experience toward next year, where I am quite confident we will do even better.”
Tehachapi was 18th in the team scoring with a 489. Tristan Hurst was the Warriors’ top individual with an 84. Colton Mitchell shot 93 and Rylan Hurst was next at 95. Gavin Woodward shot 106 and Connor Craig’s 111 completed Tehachapi’s scoring.
The Section Tournament will include BCHS’ Steele and Valpredo, Ridgeview’s Gonzales and Shafter’s Mantas individually and they will be joined by Division I teams Stockdale, Liberty, Garces and Centennial.
The top two teams and 12 individuals not on those teams at the section tournament get to play in the May 29 CIF Southern California regional tournament at Los Serranos Golf Course’s South Course in Chino Hills. The CIF State Championship tournament is June 3 at Poppy Hills Golf Course at Pebble Beach.