Young program breeds success
Jeff Tully
BURBANK -- Starting up a new girls’ sports program is no easy task.
Just ask Burroughs High Coach Mike Krose.
This season, along with his counterpart Rich Sarquiz at Burbank High,
Krose headed the first-ever girls’ high school golf teams in the city.
“We did have our struggles along the way,” said Krose. “We had only
one girl with any previous golf experience. So the girls had to learn
almost everything about the sport.”
The Indians seemed to learn fast, as they had a winning season --
going 20-17-1 -- and qualified for the CIF Southern Section team
championships.
They earned a trip to the postseason by finishing third in the
Foothill League behind first-place Hart and runner-up Valencia.
“Hart was just unbeatable,” Krose said. “But we stayed close to
Valencia for most of our matches and we even beat them once.”
Lindsey Whittfield finished sixth in league for Burroughs.
Burroughs’ low medalist of the season was Samantha Mollaun, who
received another honor Sunday, when she was crowned Miss Teen Burbank.
Vanessa Menchaca, Erin Sullivan and Mallory Lynch were all top players
for the Indians.
“The good thing is that we had a young team with only one senior,”
Krose said. “So it looks good for the future.”
Krose -- whose team played its home matches at El Cariso Golf Course
in Sylmar -- said although his team was inexperienced, it made the most
of the season.
“It was fun and we came together almost like a family,” he said. “The
girls were really great.”