Eagles Keep Soaring While Friars Flounder

The county’s top boys’ golf teams, Santa Margarita and Servite, are headed in different directions as they prepare for their Serra League showdown Wednesday at Coto de Caza.

Top-ranked Santa Margarita continues to roll, posting a torrid two-under-par 173 team total in a March 27 match against St. John Bosco at Los Amigos Country Club.

The score was the best in the county this season and included a four-under-par 32 by sophomore Taylor Wood and a 33 by junior Andrew Price. The Eagles combined for 12 birdies and two eagles in the match.

Santa Margarita also shot 182 at Coto de Caza and completed a 378-383 18-hole victory over Irvine with a 187 at Oak Creek.

Second-ranked Servite, on the other hand, has been struggling. The Friars lost to Calabasas, 399-402, last Tuesday and shot 196 in a victory over Mater Dei.

Top Friar Nico Bollini did not play against Calabasas because he had an SAT preparation class that day.

“I kind of thought something like that might happen,” Servite Coach Tim Meagher said. “But I was hoping it wouldn’t. The kids were a little [upset].”

Meagher had no explanation about the high score against Mater Dei at Santa Ana Country Club, citing only a few mental errors. Bollini, a junior, shot a season-worst 43 in that match.

“We were awful,” Meagher said. “Our guys have kind of fallen asleep a little bit, but I feel like we’ll figure it out. The same thing happened to us last year.”

The Friars figured it out last year and finished second in the CIF-SCGA finals.

VAQUEROS CHARGING

Irvine juniors Jon Friedman, J.J. Johnston and Andrew Kim have led a Vaquero charge over the last week, averaging 36 per nine holes.

Kim shot four-under-par 32 last Wednesday when the Vaqueros completed a 364-373 victory over Long Beach Wilson. Terry Henigan, who has coached Irvine for 15 years, believes the four-over par team total for 18 holes is the best score in school history.

The Vaqueros, ranked No. 6, lost a tight match to top-ranked Santa Margarita, 378-383, and defeated Laguna Hills in a nine-hole match, 181-208.

Friedman leads the Vaqueros with a 37.5 season average. Johnston, third in the league finals a year ago, is averaging 37.8 and Kim 38.

FRESHMEN LEAD DANA HILLS

Dana Hills surprisingly has emerged as the team to beat in the South Coast League after defeating two-time defending champion San Clemente and Capistrano Valley in the last week.

Freshmen Nick Jones, Andrew Jason and Bryce Peters are all averaging 40 for nine holes and have been instrumental in the Dolphins’ success.

“The young guys are holding up against stiff competition,” Coach Phil Wilburton said. “It’s been a pleasant surprise for me. I knew the core was there for a very strong team in the future, but I didn’t know these guys would be ready this soon.”

LOOKING AHEAD

There is no official state tournament in golf, but the Sacramento Jesuit tournament this weekend could lay claim as the unofficial state tournament.

No. 1 Santa Margarita, No. 2 Servite and No. 4 Newport Harbor will play in the 36-hole, 24-team tournament Friday and Saturday at Haggin Oaks and Ancil Hoffman golf courses in Sacramento.

Also playing are defending Southern Section and CIF-SCGA champion Santa Barbara San Marcos, defending San Diego Section champion Bonita Vista and Robert Louis Stevenson of Carmel, which has won three of the last four CIF Northern California championships.

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