The Master’s Players as Close as Brothers

There’s no denying the brotherly love between baseball players Chris and Luke Kollmann of The Master’s College.

The Kollmanns have been teammates almost every season since they began playing Little League in their hometown of Nampa, Idaho. Ever identifiable as a close pair, Luke, a junior second baseman, immediately follows Chris, a senior first baseman, in the Mustangs’ batting order.

Thing is, the Kollmanns are cousins, not brothers.

Such has long been a mistaken assumption by acquaintances.

“We were the Kollmann brothers pretty much all through high school,” Chris said.

Luke, a month older than Chris, followed his cousin to Master’s in 1998. Luke sat out a season after graduating from Nampa High.

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The Cal Lutheran men’s golf team, after winning its seventh Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title in eight years, enters the NCAA Division III championships Monday at Bedford Valley Golf Course in Battle Creek, Mich.

The Kingsmen (6-1 in conference matches) are making their fifth finals appearance since joining the NCAA in 1992.

Anthony Zinnato, a junior from Moorpark High and Ventura College, had a 76.9 stroke average and was selected SCIAC player of the year. Zinnato, among five players who will represent Cal Lutheran, finished fifth with a 10-over-par 154 in two rounds at the SCIAC finals at Brookskide Golf Club in Pasadena.

Zinnato shot a season-low 70 in a SCIAC match against Occidental at River Ridge Golf Course in Oxnard.

Brent Hendon, a junior from Camarillo High and Ventura College, shot a season-best 74 at North Ranch Country Club in Agoura.

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Anthony Marciano, who shot a three-round total of 213 to lead Cal State Northridge to the Big Sky Conference men’s golf title last week at River Ridge, was among four Northridge players selected to the all-conference team.

Paul D’Ambra, Manny Hayes and Tim Wren also were selected to the 10-player team.

Senior Isabella Peintner and freshman Tereza Simonyan of Northridge were among eight players selected to the All-Big Sky Conference women’s tennis team.

Junior Shaheen Bhanji was a second-team selection and Kate Fitzgerald made honorable mention.

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Freshman defender Jennifer Preston of Newbury Park was selected most improved player for Ohio Wesleyan, which finished 19-1 and ranked No. 2 in Division III women’s soccer.

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Evan Belfi of Oak Park finished his sophomore season at Denison (Ohio) University with a .343 average, 21 RBIs and 21 runs in 37 games.