Rosary Coach Slices Chance at Taking Team to Playoffs

Rosary Coach Jamie McCance is kicking himself after learning that the Royals did not qualify for the Southern Section team playoffs.

Rosary, runner-up to University in the section finals last year, tied for third in the Serra League with Mater Dei. Under section rules, only three teams from the five-team Serra League can advance to the Southern Regional tournament next Tuesday at Los Serranos.

The first round of the league individual finals Monday at Meadowlark served as the tiebreaker, but McCance said that since Mater Dei and Rosary split two regular-season matches he thought the tie would be broken by combining regular-season scores.

“We had beaten them by 12 and they beat us by four,” McCance said. “I thought we were in.”

Because of that, McCance had given his top player, Maggie Barnett, permission to miss the individual finals because she had returned from a college visit late Sunday.

Rosary Athletic Director Juleen Wise approved the tiebreaker procedure, but McCance said he was not informed until his arrival at Meadowlark.

“I thought it was just an individual tournament,” McCance said. “It was my mistake and I’m going to have to eat this one. I fell asleep at the wheel. It’s a shame because we really deserved to be there. For the last month we’ve played as well as anyone in the county.”

Rosary had made a remarkable comeback to get in position to make the playoffs. After starting 1-7, the Royals won eight of nine.

“It’s too bad because I thought if we made it to Los Serranos we might be able to surprise some people,” McCance said.

Mater Dei Coach Cathy Quesnell was relieved her team qualified but sympathized with Rosary.

“We have a tough league,” Quesnell said. “Rosary is probably better than a lot of teams that are going.”

STRONG FINISH

Defending Southern Section champion University did little during the final week of the regular season to dispel the notion it is still the team to beat.

The Trojans, who had a season average of 123 entering the week, shot 124, 115, 118 and 117 in their final team tuneups, clinching the Pacific Coast League title.

Sophomore Angela Won, The Times Orange County player of the year in 1998, seems to be hitting stride at the right time. Won was four over par for the four rounds last week, including a two-under 34 at Strawberry Farms.

“I was impressed,” Coach Patti Anduri said. “But I’m never going to be comfortable until this whole thing is over.”

FIRST-YEAR WONDERS

St. Margaret’s has qualified for the playoffs in its first year fielding a team. The Tartans played a freelance schedule, meaning they had to qualify through a freelance tournament.

Only two teams applied for the freelance tournament, and the Southern Section allowed St. Margaret’s entry into the Southern Regional based on its 9-8 record and meeting the minimum six scores of 155 or better.

The Tartans are the only first-year team from the county in the playoffs.

GOOD SPORTS

Here’s a new twist: Esperanza rooting for Los Alamitos.

It happened last week in girls’ golf.

Esperanza had a chance to clinch the Sunset League title Tuesday against Marina, but lost and dropped into a tie with Marina.

Esperanza, still guaranteed a co-championship, pinned its hopes for a solo championship on league rival Los Alamitos, which played Marina last Thursday.

The Griffins won, 148-163, and Esperanza took sole possession of the title.

“We thought we could give Marina a pretty good shake, but they played a good match,” Esperanza Coach Mike Davis said. “But we looked at the schedule and figured we still had a shot with Marina having to play Los Al at [Long Beach Navy Golf Course].”

The Aztecs sent a few boxes of cookies to a Los Alamitos team meeting as a show of appreciation. Debbie Parrett, mother of Esperanza’s top player, Kayley Parrett, and a teacher at Los Alamitos, made the delivery.

“Just a little gesture of sportsmanship,” Davis said. “Those football games get too rah-rah.”

Esperanza, Marina and Los Alamitos all qualified for the Southern Section South Regional tournament next Tuesday at Los Serranos in Chino Hills.

FORE AND OUT

Jamie Oliver of Los Alamitos, expected to challenge for the Sunset League individual title, had to withdraw from the tournament Monday after a wayward golf ball struck her on the hand on the seventh fairway.

While she was helping a playing partner search for a ball in the left rough, another playing partner hit a low line shot sideways from the right rough and it hit Oliver on the knuckles of her right index and middle fingers. X-rays were negative and doctors diagnosed a bone bruise. Oliver said she is clear to play “whenever I feel comfortable.”

“I was just looking for the ball and all of a sudden I hear, ‘Fore!’ ” Oliver said. “I turned around and the ball slammed into my knuckle.”

Oliver finished the hole but severe pain and swelling prevented her from continuing after that. She was six over par at the time, near the lead of the 27-hole tournament.

Oliver, who said she will take the next couple days off, said she hopes to be ready for the team regional Tuesday. She can still get into the individual finals on a petition.

LOOKING TO GET IN

Each league receives two automatic berths in the individual finals Nov. 16 at Mission Lakes Country Club in Desert Hot Springs. A league can petition for three additional entries, not necessarily based on order of finish in the league finals.

Notable county players hoping to gain entry via petition are: Oliver; Kayley Parrett of Esperanza, who lost a sudden death playoff with Minnie Choi of Fountain Valley for second place in the Sunset League; Nicole Peralta of Ocean View, who led the Sea Hawks all season but finished fifth in the Ocean League finals.

If you have an item or idea for the girls’ golf report, you can fax us at (714) 966-5663 or e-mail us at peter.yoon@latimes.com