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.”