High School Golf : Carlsbad Holds On to Win Title

Remembering a second-place tie that kept it out of the Southern California Regional last season, Carlsbad High School built a five-stroke lead after nine holes Monday and held on to win its first San Diego Section golf title with a team total of 379 at Rancho Bernardo Inn golf course.

“We’ve had it on our minds since we were freshmen,” junior Mark Johnson said of such failed aspirations. “Everybody says Carlsbad can’t win the big one. We wanted to win this one for coach (Bob Fisher). He’s had good teams, but he never won CIF.”

Fifth-seeded La Jolla pulled a mild surprise, finishing second in the 16-team field, eight strokes behind Carlsbad. Carlsbad and La Jolla will advance to the Southern California Regional June 8 at the North Ranch Country Club in Westlake.

Last season, Carlsbad tied Patrick Henry for second place, but the Patriots received the section’s second playoff berth because its sixth player had a lower score than Carlsbad’s.

This season, second-seeded Carlsbad played in the same four-team group as top-ranked and defending San Diego Section champion Torrey Pines.

Torrey Pines, which had won four of the previous five section titles, and Carlsbad met recently on Torrey Pines’ home course at Rancho Santa Fe. The Falcons left little doubt as to the county’s top team at that time.

“They just killed us,” Johnson said.

Monday, however, was Carlsbad’s turn.

Johnson shot a 35 and Pat Patterson 34 on the front nine as Carlsbad made the turn on the 6,200-yard par-72 course with a 187. Torrey Pines trailed by six strokes at the turn and La Jolla, playing a group back, had a 192 after nine holes.

“I just said to myself, ‘Last year this was ours, and we let it get away, so this year we better win it,’ ” Johnson said.

Carlsbad played steadily on the back nine. Johnson and Dale Welsh locked up the title with eagles on the 513-yard, par-5 18. Johnson shot a 71 to share medalist honors with La Jolla’s Harry Rudolph. Patterson had a 73 for Carlsbad.

Poway played a strong back nine to finish third at 392, and Torrey Pines finished fourth at 396. Fallbrook placed fifth at 299 to give the Palomar League three teams--Fallbrook, Torrey Pines and Poway--in the top five.