San Benito girls’ golf takes third in TCAL tourney
Hollister – The San Benito girls’ golf team opened its season with a strong showing Tuesday, taking third place in a Tri-County Athletic League tournament at Ridgemark Golf & Country Club. With their 10 league rivals all in attendance, the ‘Balers finished behind only first place Santa Catalina and runner-up Robert Louis Stevenson.
“Encouraging? Absolutely,” San Benito coach Chris Branon said of his team taking third in 195 strokes. “For a public school to take third … they played really well.”
‘Balers No. 1 Marissa Gutierrez led the team by firing a 44 on the Gabilan Course’s holes 2-10. Branon was particularly impressed that his top player overcame a quadruple bogey on the opening hole. “She came back really solid, shooting 4-over-par the rest of the way, which I will take,” the ‘Balers’ coach related.
Senior Ashley Buchaw shot a 46 from her No. 2 slot – “solid throughout,” Branon said.
No. 5 Danielle Shelton played her way into the scoring column by firing a 50, and No. 3 Jordan Archer’s 55 rounded out the ‘Balers’ day.
Branon said that his players know that Tuesday’s performance was only the beginning of a season in which shooting combined rounds in the 170s is the goal. “This was a good eye awakening for them,” the San Benito coach said. “If you don’t have any mistakes, you’re not going to get any better.”
The ‘Balers return to practice for the rest of this week, and then travel to Notre Dame for their next competition on Sep. 18.
GIRLS’ TENNIS
Even with a fully-stocked ‘Balers’ roster, Notre Dame figured to be a tough match for the San Benito girls’ tennis team. But with injury and illness claiming two of their 10 regulars, the ‘Balers got swept in their Tri-County Athletic League opener, falling 7-0 to the Spirits at Ridgemark on Tuesday.
San Benito returns to action by visiting Carmel on Thursday at 3:30pm.
