Thorpe’s three birdies lift Estancia to close victory in Battle for the Bell

It’s been said that golf is one of those sports you can play for a lifetime. That seems to be the case for Estancia High’s Lexi Thorpe, who’s been playing the sport since age 3.

It showed during Monday’s Battle for the Bell.

Estancia’s girls’ golf team won its seventh straight meeting in the series with crosstown rival Costa Mesa. Led by Thorpe’s three-over-par 38, the Eagles took a narrow 277-283 victory at Costa Mesa Golf Club’s Mesa Linda Course.

“I had the advantage, I would say,” Thorpe said, noting that Mesa Linda has served as her home course growing up.”

“My favorite part about this course is probably that it’s a public course. There’s so many new people that come, and I’ve played with so many different people.”

Thorpe had three birdies and one par. She shot two-under from the fifth to seventh holes. A double-bogey on the fourth hole was the sole wrench thrown in her scoreline.

The consistency of Thorpe allowed the Eagles (1-2, overall and in league) to avoid defeat, with Costa Mesa producing the next three lowest scores. After the first two groups came in, Estancia held a 21-shot lead, but the Mustangs (1-3, 0-2) closed the gap with the final grouping.

Tayla Crenshaw, the senior who qualified for her first track and field state meet in the spring, proved adept with a golf club as well. She paced the Mustangs with a 49, achieving a birdie on No. 7 and a par on No. 3.

“Just keep your head down, and just don’t get too frustrated with yourself because golf is a frustrating sport,” Crenshaw said after notching her career-best score. “Just be calm and go with the flow. It’s just for fun.”

“I started out my sophomore year, it was just OK. I didn’t really know anything. Junior year was all right. This year, we just started working on my swing and readjusting things. It’s come along nicely, and I’m learning more and more each practice.”

Morelia De Loera (54), Jennifer Martinez (57), Krystle Ramirez (61), and Tabby Collins-Zuniga (62) rounded out the scoring quintet for Costa Mesa.

Thorpe was joined by Lexi Jaeger (58), Megan James (60), Leah Thunstrom (60), and Isabell Davis (61) for the Eagles.

Estancia began the season with Orange Coast League games against Laguna Beach and Calvary Chapel, seemingly putting the Eagles in a position where they did not have the chance to catch their breath before the matches that counted.

“It’s always a struggle when you start with all new players and it’s a fall sport,” Estancia coach Jane Tarnow said. “You don’t get much time to get going.”

“We’re just happy that the girls are having a good time. I think they did a good job representing their school. They just keep making improvements by leaps and bounds. I think every time they come out, their scores are improving.”

The Eagles have a win under their belt now. Thorpe had no doubt it was coming.

“Our girls are so dedicated,” she said. “They come out on weekends. They try so hard in practice. You can literally see them just working their hearts out, and I’m glad that we won.”

“We’re Eagles…we’ll be fine.”

With rivalry contests, various forces drive up the intensity and competitiveness between the teams. The atmosphere of Monday’s girls’ golf match was far more representative of some of the bonding measures that have been taken by the two schools.

Costa Mesa and Estancia work in concert with the Kiwanis club to honor a boys’ and girls’ athlete from each school every month at a luncheon. Both programs proved to be heavily interested in fostering their friendships.

“It’s not fierce at all,” Mustangs coach Marlon Liotta said. “They love to play, and they ask to play with other teammates. When we put the teams together, they ask, ‘Can I play with so-and-so?’ That’s real important because they have fun. They’re out here for three hours, and the ultimate goal is to have fun.”

“We do like to win, but really, it’s more about just being out here, having fun with the other team.”

Andrew.Turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @ProfessorTurner