SACRAMENTO — Despite some factors working against them on Tuesday, the Hilmar High girls golf team was able to hold off Trans-Valley League rival Hughson to win the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V championship for the second straight year. They are the lone section titles won by the program since its inception in 2004.
The Yellowjackets had a collective score of 478, clearing the Huskies by just 13 strokes, competing at the Binge Maloney Golf Course in the state’s capital. The Huskies were one stroke from qualifying as a team, though they will send one individual.
“The one last year was kind of unexpected, it was kind of a good bonus for a good regular season,” head coach Ty Pettigrew said. “This year, going in, you never know what the northern schools are going to have, but with my Yellowjacket Invitational (midseason tournament), I try to invite some of those people so we can see each other throughout the year and kind of get an idea of what’s happening and what people have. And there was some real optimism this year that if our girls could play like they’re capable of, we’d be pretty tough to beat.”
The Yellowjackets couldn’t be beaten Tuesday even as they battled through a myriad of hurdles before even walking on the course.
Ahead of their two-hour drive, top player Valerie Quaid was dealing with strep throat. Upon arriving at Binge Maloney, they found the driving range closed after some miscommunication behind the scenes (the range is usually closed on Tuesdays). When it finally opened, they were one of the last teams to be given buckets of balls, having about 15 minutes to warm up before taking on the challenging, par-72 course in wet and cold conditions.
Regardless, the ‘Jackets saw freshman Isabella Northcutt had the top overall finish with a round of 78. She finished four strokes better than Ripon sophomore Cameron Seefeldt. Northcutt had par on nine holes, plus birdies at the 133-yard No. 5 and the 360-yard 18th.
“I was very nervous, until I parred the first hole,” said Northcutt. “But it was still really cold out there, so some of my shots weren’t going well on the front nine, which kind of scared me, because I was six-over on the front, which means I’m probably going to bogey a couple on the back, so the nerves came back. But coming around to the back nine, I finally brought myself together, just keeping it simple by getting the ball on the fairway and getting it on the green, not overdoing anything.
“My irons have been very consistent and flush, and I’ve had a lot of confidence when I get over the ball with them.”
After her birdie at 18 to wrap up her round, she called her parents to deliver the news of her win.
“I was trying to stay calm, but I think for me, I just get really excited to share the score with my family,” she said. “It’s just exciting to show my dad that I’m capable and to be thankful to him for teaching me this game. I guess you could say all the work is paying off.”
Northcutt didn’t realize that Quaid was as sick as she was, which she admitted probably would have made her more nervous, putting pressure on herself to make up for her teammate, if need be.
The Hughson High girls golf team was one stroke away from punching a ticket to next week’s Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Tournament, but still qualified senior Madden Nobles — center with medal — as an individual (Photo contributed).
Despite the illness, Quaid posted an 86, with pars on seven holes, plus a two-stroke birdie at the fifth. The senior debated whether to play or, but opted to participate after encouragement from her parents.
“I did alright,” Quaid said. “We had a practice round that Friday and I shot an 80, then I was feeling better. I wanted to do well because it’s my last year and I want to do the best I’ve done no matter what, but I took a lot of medicine before I went out so I was alright, but after that, at home, I was out.
“The course was really straightforward. I enjoyed playing there, though the greens were tough to play as they were really fast or slow. My driver was going really well the first nine holes, but hole No. 10 (a triple bogey) killed me.”
Quaid tied for third overall with Emma Mallen of Marysville.
Also breaking 90 and qualifying as an individual was Hughson senior Madden Nobles with a round of 89.
Behind Northcutt and Quaid for Hilmar was sophomore Grace Vitorino (92), sophomore Hannah Van Dewark (109), freshman Alicia Antrim (113), and sophomore Gracelyn Gonsalves (129).
“I didn’t realize how big of a deal it was until we actually won, and all of my teachers were congratulating us, because I wasn’t here last year,” Van Dewark said. “It’s a pretty amazing thing to experience in my first year.”
Nobles was followed by sophomore Mia Mateo (100), junior Sophia Spears (100), senior Adaley Poulson (101), junior Kali Irizarry (101) and junior Kelsey Brower (110).
Also competing was the Denair High program, scoring a combined 894 for 13th place. Individually, senior Brooklynn Erickson shot a 154 to pace the team. She was followed by junior Jayden Reece (166), sophomore Valeria Mendoza (181), sophomore Anaya Rheinschild (194) and junior Pursaiuhs Morales (199).
The Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Tournament will be Monday, Nov. 3 from The Reserve at Spanos Park in Stockton. The action gets underway with a 9 a.m. shotgun start.
The section will send the top three teams, as well as the individuals with the next best four scores, to the CIF NorCal Regional Championship on Nov. 10.
“We’re feeling good, feeling positive about it,” said Vitorino. “It’ll be fun to try to break the records that we already have.”
