Campbell Hall Not Trying to Impress, Only to Affirm

Lawrence Mark feels his Campbell Hall boys’ team has accomplished plenty in its second year of existence.

What’s left to prove? Nothing.

What’s left to achieve? Plenty.

The Vikings begin the Southern Section Northern regional at Soule Park Golf Course in Ojai on Monday with a shotgun start at 8 a.m.. It will mark Campbell Hall’s first venture into the postseason.

No matter. Mark points to the team’s 17-1 record, a Delphic League title and an average team score of 4.28 strokes over par per nine holes during the regular season as proof the Vikings are already one of the region’s top programs.

“We have nothing to prove to our peers,” Mark said. “They know who we are and they know we’re a good program. The people we have to prove ourselves to is [the media] who haven’t given us the kind of ink we deserve.”

The 20-team regional includes traditional powers Hart and Nordhoff, but Mark said Campbell Hall will play its usual aggressive game.

“They play a type of game where they attack the pin, no matter where it is on the green,” Mark said. “They’re not going to play conservatively like a lot of teams do.”

Freshman Anthony Kim, who averaged 1.25 strokes under par per nine holes during the regular season, leads the Vikings.

“What makes Tony a really solid player at the high school level is that he makes other players better,” Mark said. “Just by motivating the other kids, he makes them better.”

Sophomore Oliver Lewis has been Campbell Hall’s No. 2 player most of the season, followed by junior Nikhil Lal, freshman Eric Moosa, sophomore Michael Zerah and senior Colin O’Brien.

Campbell Hall played only two 18-hole matches this season.

“I think we’re going to find out early what we can and can’t do,” he said. “I think we just need to get into the flow of the course.”

The top two teams advance to the 16-team section final at Saticoy Country Club on Thursday.

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Nordhoff finished second to Oak Park in Tri-Valley League play, but the Rangers have two reasons to feel confident about the Northern regional.

First of all, it’s on their home course, where they shot a school-record, one-under-par 359 in league play this season.

Secondly, they beat Oak Park by 13 strokes Tuesday and by eight strokes Thursday to even their record at 3-3 against the Eagles.

“I’m feeling like we’re playing well at the right time of the season,” Coach Dick Sebek said. “I feel like we’re peaking at the right time.”

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Oak Park Coach John Vogel says Nordhoff should be favored because the Rangers are playing on their home course.

“I think we have a good chance at being one of the two teams [to advance],” Vogel said. “But I honestly think that Nordhoff will be the team that wins.”

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Anton Nikolic, Oak Park’s No. 4 player, is questionable for Monday after missing two Tri-Valley League matches last week because of an illness.

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If lineage counts on the links, Nathan Soule of Crescenta Valley could be a player to watch.

Soule, a junior, is a distant relative of Zaddie Soule, who donated the land the golf course is built on to Ventura County in 1960.

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The Northern regional consists of the top three teams from the Del Rey, Foothill, Golden, Mission, Pacific and Tri-Valley leagues and the top two from the Delphic League.

Undefeated Camarillo of the Pacific View League and Marmonte League champion Westlake are playing in the Central Coast regional at La Purisima Golf Course in Lompoc on Monday.

Freelance runner-up Calabasas plays in the Central regional at Sun Lakes Country Club in Banning.

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Top 10

Rankings of boys’ golf teams in the region

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Rk School League 1 Camarillo Pacific View 2 Hart Foothill 3 Calabasas Freelance 4 Westlake Marmonte 5 Nordhoff Tri-Valley 6 Oak Park Tri-Valley 7 Crescenta Valley Pacific 8 Campbell Hall Delphic 9 Highland Golden 10 Valencia Foothill

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