DESERT WINS THE WOMEN’S GOLF STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
by Jerry Hannula, CCCSIA Women's Golf Rep
MORRO BAY, CA - College of the Desert saw a 14-stroke lead from the first day of competition quickly dwindle midway through the second round, but the Roadrunners held on to win the California Community College Athletic Association women's golf state championship held Sunday and Monday (November 16-17) on the Morro Bay golf course.
It is the fifth state title for Desert but the first title in 15 years after the Roadrunners won the first four women's golf state titles from 1995-1998.
Desert posted a team score of 310 on Sunday but slipped to 334 on Monday for a 644 total. College of the Canyons posted a 323 on Monday to cut 11 strokes off of Desert's lead but couldn't complete the comeback. Sierra College posted the best team score on Monday with a 322, but started the day 18 strokes behind Desert and finished in third place (650) while Modesto Junior College ended up fourth (678).
Irvine Valley College sophomore Leleaga Meredith shot an even-par round of 72 on Monday to go with a 75 on the first day to capture the individual state champion honor at 147. April Chang (Sierra College) carded a 2-over-par 74 on Monday and finished as the state runner-up at 151. Citrus College teammates Jamie Lopez and Lexandra So finished third and fourth, respectively, after finishing the 36-hole championship event at 155. Lopez's 78 on Monday was the fourth-best score of the day.
Tiffany Whittaker (Canyons) shot a 77 on Monday to finish fifth overall at 156 and Samantha Stewart (Desert) finished sixth overall with a 157 after sharing the first day lead at 75 but slipping to 82 on Monday. The top six golfers each earned all-state honors.
Canyons' run at Desert's lead took an interesting turn when Whittaker (77) and Julia Youn (78) posted impressive scores. Meanwhile, Desert's first two scores included Fumika Matsumoto's 85 and Stewart's 82, accounting for a 12-stroke swing in Canyon's favor. Added into the excitement was Sierra's run at Desert's lead when Chang (74) and Deedra Dollesin (78) also posted impressive scores. But Canyons couldn't cut any deeper into Desert's lead and the Roadrunners held on as Brooke Raney (84) and Erin Lind (83) were able to match scores with Canyons' next two finishers.
This was the first year that the CCCAA women's golf state championship was held in Morro Bay. The course was recently selected to be the permanent site of the women's golf state championship.