La Cañada golf’s Maddie Kang paves way for locals at Brookside
PASADENA — It took a little while for Maddie Kang to make the adjustment to competition at the high school level.
After a couple of matches, the La Cañada freshman girls’ golfer appears to have all parts of her game going.
Following a second-place showing on Sept. 8, Kang carded a two-over-par 39 to finish third Wednesday in a Pacific League match at Brookside Golf Course No. 1.
PHOTOS: Pacific League girls’ golf match at Brookside
“In the beginning of the season, I wasn’t doing too well,” Kang said. “I think I just needed some more confidence and I’ve gotten that to help me play a lot better now.
“My putting has been more consistent, but I know I can do better. My goal the rest of the way is to shoot at or around par.”
Burroughs inched closer to advancing to the CIF playoffs in October after it carded a 223 to finish third. San Marino, which won the league crown last season, won with a 204 and has claimed victory in all four league matches thus far. Arcadia followed with a 221. Crescenta Valley took fourth with a 245 on its home course. La Cañada had a 249 for fifth and Burbank finished with a 313 for sixth. Ada Wong of San Marino carded a 37 to finish first, followed by Annie Kong of Acadia (38).
The Indians finished third for the third time in four matches after registering a second-place effort Sept. 16 at De Bell Golf Club in Burbank. The top three teams automatically qualify for the postseason.
The Indians received a 42 from Ashley Phelps. They also got a 43 from Raelinn Arnold, 44 from Maddie Riggs, 46 from Annie Adachi and 48 from Bella Nava.
“We’re a little past the halfway point and we’ve put up some good scores,” Burroughs Coach Greg Everhart said. “We have had our players mostly shooting in the 40s, but maybe we can get one or two to break 40 in the next couple of matches.
“They’ve been playing consistently and we can still get better.”
Crescenta Valley got 46s from Gloria Namkung and Emily Redecker. The Falcons received a 48 from Laura Perez, 49 from Vienna Bebla and 50 from Michela Labellarte.
Crescenta Valley first-year Coach Grant Clark said the Falcons need to make a late push to try to qualify for the postseason.
“We have to try to pick up the pace and get some qualifying scores and maybe come in the back door,” Clark said. “We have to find a way to shave some strokes. We still have a way to go.”
The Spartans had a 44 from Rachel Oh, 52 from Lucielle Park, 57 from Emma McGuiness and 58 from Sydney Lew.
Burbank, which had just four players, had a 43 from Amy Tran. Alexis Poche finished with a 53 for the Bulldogs, who got a 62 from Olga-Marie Davis and 74 from Erin Tanner.
“We’re trying to get better and move the program forward,” Burbank Coach Branco Sevic. “We just want to see more consistency.”
The next league match will begin at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Santa Anita Golf Course in Arcadia.