Valley Sports Roundup : Canyons Finishes Third in State Golf Tournament

Led by sophomore Wayne Merich, College of the Canyons finished third in the 36-hole state junior college golf championships Monday at Del Rio Country Club in Modesto.

Canyons, which won the Southern California regional last week with a tournament-record 729, shot 300, 23 strokes behind champion Saddleback. Canada College of Redwood City was second at 782.

“I’m happy,” Canyons Coach Gary Peterson said. “I think we probably could have played a little bit better, but the pin placements were brutal.”

Merich shot rounds of 78 and 73 to place fourth with a seven-over-par 151. He finished two strokes behind Saddleback’s Bob Jacobson, who defeated Tim Bahey of Mt. San Antonio in a one-hole playoff for the individual title.

Freshman Dave Berganio of Mission was sixth at 152.

HIGH SCHOOL GOLF

Newbury Park, led by co-medalist Steve Holmes’ one-over-par 73, finished first in the Southern Section Northern District regionals at Olivas Park Golf Course in Ventura.

Newbury Park finished with a five-man total of 389, one stroke ahead of Santa Barbara and two better than Sunny Hills of Fullerton. Newbury Park, Santa Barbara and Sunny Hills advance to the Southern Section team finals Monday at North Ranch Country Club in Westlake Village.

Holmes shared medalist honors with Charlie Wi of Westlake and Tim Murphy of Agoura.

Thousand Oaks finished fourth at 394 and Hoover was fifth at 396. Westlake, the two-time defending Southern Section titlist, tied for sixth with Agoura at 398. Rio Mesa was seventh at 399.

Taft 440, Granada Hills 456--Josh Oring of Granada Hills earned medalist honors with an eight-over-par 80, but Taft won its 74th consecutive league dual meet in a City 5-A League match at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana.

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

Chaminade 7, Alemany 4--Kathy Regan scattered seven hits and drove in the go-ahead runs with a two-run, two-out double in the sixth in a San Fernando Valley League game at Alemany.

Kerry Corcoran was two for four with a run batted in for Chaminade (15-6, 6-3). The win moved Chaminade past Alemany (5-4 in league play) into second place and clinched a playoff spot with one game remaining.

Notre Dame 5, Bell-Jeff 1--Junior right-hander Becca Berline (14-7) pitched a no-hitter, struck out 10 and walked one in a San Fernando Valley League game at Notre Dame.

Bell-Jeff scored an unearned run in the seventh after two errors by Notre Dame (14-8, 9-0). It was Berline’s second no-hitter of the season and fourth in her career.

Saugus 1, Canyon 0--Cathy Lewis pitched a two-hitter, struck out 15 and drove in the winning run in the seventh in a Golden League game at Canyon.

Saugus (15-7, 7-1) moved into a first-place tie with Antelope Valley with two games remaining.