Boys’ Golf Season Preview: Burroughs aiming for league championship
The Burroughs High boys’ golf team was neck and neck with Arcadia heading into the final Pacific League team competition last season with the league title on the line.
Unfortunately for the Indians, the Apaches won the match by five strokes to capture their 11th straight league championship, relegating Burroughs to second place.
Led by standout sophomore Lincoln Melcher, Burroughs coach Greg Everhart thinks this is the season the Indians could break through against Arcadia and take home the league championship
At Burbank, the Bulldogs return a group from last season, including league individual champion JJ Nakao.
For Providence, it has a new coach in Ernest Siy, as the young Pioneers hope to hold their own in the Prep League.
Here is a closer look at the teams.
BURROUGHS
Along with Melcher, the Indians could benefit from a new freshman who has impressed Everhart thus far.
“We only lost one senor from last year and we gained a freshman who could end up being my No. 2 this year,” Everhart said. “With as close as we were to Arcadia last year and with what we have this year, I think we’re the team to beat in league. I think we should have the best chance since I’ve been coaching at Burroughs to win the league title, which would be nice. I’ve had so many second places and to get first would be great.”
Helping the team to achieve that goal is Melcher, who has verbally committed to UCLA. The sophomore is coming off of a successful with the Indians.
Melcher finished second in league, shooting a five-under-par 67 to finish with a 68.66 average in the individual tournament in April. Melcher then experienced impressive results in Southern California tournaments. Melcher finished his season at the CIF/Southern California Golf Assn. Southern California Boys’ Championship, tying for 25th with a two-over-par 74 at Brookside Golf Course No. 1 in Pasadena.
“Lincoln went the furthest of any player in our league last year,” Everhart said. “He has played so much. This guy is playing in U.S. Open qualifiers and averaging under par. He has just been doing great.”
The freshman whom Everhart has high hopes for is Emilio Huerta. Other returners include juniors Kodiak Hernandez, Ryan McGowan, Trey Sanchez and senior Niko Coccio, who has signed to play at Rogers State University in Oklahoma.
BURBANK
The Bulldogs placed fourth in the Pacific League in 2019 and didn’t qualify for Southern Section team divisional competition.
“I’m pretty excited about what we have this season,” Burbank coach Doug Grimshaw said. “I think we have five juniors on the varsity team and one sophomore. Three of those juniors have varsity experience from last year and the others had JV experience and they all have been working really hard to step up their game.
“All six of my varsity guys are hard workers and they have been putting in the time to practice and they also practice on their own away from our team. They are setting a good example for the younger guys.”
Nakao stormed to a fine showing in league last season, winning an individual championship. Backed by seven birdies, including three over the final three holes, Nakao carded a seven-under-par 65 to place first at Hansen Dam Golf Course in Pacoima.
“JJ has been looking good and we are hoping that he can repeat an individual league champion,” Grimshaw said. “Hopefully we can get a few other guys to qualify for CIF, in addition to him.”
The team will also feature a pair or returners in juniors Kevin Kienlen and Frank Maslyk. Other players expected to step up are juniors Billy Malipun and Sean McGinn and sophomore Luke Carnegie.
“In league, it looks like it will be Burroughs and Arcadia fighting for that top spot and us and Crescenta Valley battling for those third and fourth spots,” Grimshaw said. “We’ll have to see what Pasadena has because they are kind of a wild card.”
PROVIDENCE
The Pioneers, who didn’t qualify for CIF team competition last season and didn’t have a player advance to a postseason, will hit the links with a small but spirited team.
“We have one player who was able to get to the Prep League finals last year and he will be our best player this year,” Coach Ernest Siy said. “Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to get past that to CIF. He is really our only player who is shooting in the low 80s.
“Everybody else mostly is new. It’s a beginning group. It may be tough some times, but they have great attitudes and they want to learn the game. They are really committed, but they are also realistic of what to expect this season.”
That returning player is sophomore Hunter Campten. He will be joined by Ethan Morgan, a senior. The team will also feature some girls’ players, since Providence doesn’t field a girls’ team.
Like Burbank and Burroughs, Providence will again call De Bell Golf Club home.
“In our league, Chadwick has had a hold of that league for awhile now in boys’ golf, so we know they will be tough,” Siy said.