HIGH SCHOOL GOLF : Riley’s 72 Clears Way for Patrick Henry Title

Patrick Henry’s golf team had won 36 consecutive matches heading into last year’s section championships. So what would stop them from blazing through the competition at the San Diego Section team tournament?

Plenty. The Patriots finished eighth in 1991, not even contending, and Coach Wendell Montague want to find a divot and crawl in and hide.

Then Chris Riley showed up on the Patrick Henry campus last September. Riley, one of the county’s top high school golfers, had transferred out of Madison. He arrived at the new campus intent upon improving his grades.

With Riley wearing Patrick Henry green and gold and shooting a par 72 Monday at Eastlake Country Club, the Patriots finally emerged with the section team title.

Patrick Henry had a team total of 376, edging Poway by three strokes and third-place Torrey Pines by five. The Falcons were two-time reigning champs. The last section title for the Patriots came 22 years ago. A long drought has ended for Montague, the only golf coach Patrick Henry has had in its 24 years.

“We had a solid team last year,” said Montague, who often grabs his throat (read choke ) when describing his team’s final performance last year. “But Chris has brought a very relaxed atmosphere. He’s competitive, but he’s light-hearted and jovial and he keeps the kids relaxed.”

Riley, who played on the 1989 section champion team at Madison, has been a windfall to the Patrick Henry program. He won the individual title two years ago and finished runner-up to Brian Smock of Coronado last year. He has kept his new teammates loose this year, while elevating their play.

Johnny Eusebio recorded a 73, Mike Ruiz a 75 and Mike Samoles a 76. The most impressive performance, said Montague, was an 80 by Torin O’Sullivan, who has played the game only 18 months.

Riley came to Patrick Henry with no guarantee he would play.

“Coming here was my doing . . . because of my grades,” said Riley, who with Ruiz will attend Nevada Las Vegas. “I had to improve in school. I had to prepare myself for college reading.”

But now that he’s playing again, Riley is intent upon recapturing the individual crown. His two-round 143 at Singing Hills last year was two strokes off Smock’s 141, though Riley led most of the tournament. He said the key is not making mistakes in either today’s opening round or Wednesday’s final round at Singing Hills.