The San Benito boys golf got a big boost from a pair of freshmen
on Monday at the Tri-County Athletic League Championships in
Carmel, where first-year players Tony Ramos and Dalton Destefanis
recorded scores in the low 80s to help propel the Balers to a
second-place finish.
CARMEL
The San Benito boys golf got a big boost from a pair of freshmen on Monday at the Tri-County Athletic League Championships in Carmel, where first-year players Tony Ramos and Dalton Destefanis recorded scores in the low 80s to help propel the Balers to a second-place finish.
Behind an 80 from Ramos and an 82 from Destefanis, San Benito compiled a team score of 406 to grab the runner-up spot in the TCAL, and will advance to the Central Coast Section Regional Championships next week as a result.
Palma, with a team score of 390, took first place in the TCAL behind medalist Matt Ogden’s 2-under 69 on Monday.
Baler Will Cross wasn’t all that far behind, though. The junior golfer carded a 1-over 72 at the Quail Lodge Resort and Golf Club in Carmel, and earned a first team all-league selection in the process.
Nathan Winn (85), Taylor Weatherly (87) and Jade Kimura (99) rounded out the scoring for San Benito, which managed to hold off third-place Everett Alvarez (437) on Monday.
Gilroy (448), Salinas (451), Alisal (537) and North Salinas (533) rounded out the remaining teams in the league.
Only Palma and San Benito will advance to the CCS Regionals, though. The tournament will be held at the Rancho Canada Golf and Country Club in Carmel next Monday and Tuesday, although tee times have not been announced.
“We’re, for sure, going to CCS,” said San Benito head coach Chris Branon, who raved about the play of his two freshmen.
“I was excited to see Dalton’s score,” Branon added, noting Destefanis recorded five birdies on Monday. “That definitely shows some grit.”
The added boost provided by Ramos and Destefanis netted the two freshmen all-league selections — each were awarded second team nods — and give San Benito more reason to look forward to next season, as only Weatherly will graduate later this spring.
“Tony, I don’t know what to say about that,” Branon said. “This kid’s on fire.”
