Girls’ Golf Preview: New additions look to spark Burroughs, Burbank
Though the Burroughs High girls’ golf team lost a trio of prominent players to graduation, including All-Area Girls’ Golfer of the Year Ashley Phelps, the Indians don’t appear to be bereft of talent in their quest for a return trip to the CIF playoffs in October.
Burbank will bring back top player Amy Tran while surrounding her with talent with the goal of climbing out of the cellar of the Pacific League.
The league saw San Marino, which had won three straight league titles, move on to become a freelance squad. The league will consist of Burroughs, Burbank, Crescenta Valley, La Cañada and Arcadia.
Here’s a closer look at the prospects of the two city girls’ golf teams for 2017.
BURROUGHS
Burroughs enjoyed a spectacular campaign in 2016, finishing third in the Pacific League behind San Marino and Arcadia and placing seventh in the CIF Southern Section Northern Team Divisional in Thousand Oaks. In addition, Phelps and Maddie Riggs qualified for the CIF Southern Section Northern Individual Tournament. Riggs and teammate Raelinn Arnold were bestowed with All-Area recognition before graduating.
Things will look quite different this season.
Burroughs will return seniors Annie Adachi and Gabija Peturlis and junior Abbie Riggs. They will be joined by seniors Alissa Jaramillo and Malia Suarez and freshman Sadie Demmend.
“It’s going to be a new-look lineup,” said Burroughs coach Greg Everhart, the reigning All-Area Girls’ Golf Coach of the Year. “It’s a chance for the new players to step in and make an impact at the varsity level.
“We don’t have the kind of depth that we’ve had the last couple of years. Some of our players were at the junior varsity level a year ago and they’ll look to pick up their game and try to help the team going forward this year.”
Everhart said qualifying for the playoffs isn’t out of the question, especially with the league champions having departed.
“[San Marino leaving the league] could be a great opportunity for our team, along with some of the others, to move up,” Everhart said. “It’s also good that maybe we can have several individuals qualify for CIF.”
BURBANK
Burbank finished last in league last season as it often did not have enough players to fill out a lineup.
“That was a problem last year,” coach Branco Sevic said. “We’ve added some depth, including bringing in some freshmen.
“I think you’ll see a lot of promise and we’ll look to Amy Tran to lead the way again. Amy can go as far as she wants to go. We’d like to get her to CIF.”
Tran, a senior, picked up All-Area recognition last season.
Tran will be joined by senior Macie Jensen, juniors Olga-Marie Davis and Pawee Akkharachotmongkhal, sophomore Cassie Morin and freshmen Kara and Madison Lee and Reigina Ramos.
The first league match will be held Aug. 29 at Santa Anita Golf Course in Arcadia.
Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich
