Golf Preview: Boys’ golf teams trying to look forward

It might be difficult for the three local boys’ golf teams to look forward this season without thinking a little about the past.

That’s because all three squads, Providence High, Burbank and Burroughs, all enjoyed their share of success during the 2013 season.

Leading the way were the Pioneers, who, despite having a program for just three seasons, captured a share of the Liberty League championship. It was the program’s first title.

The Bulldogs competed well in the Pacific League, finishing second, while the Indians placed third in the final league standings.

Although the squads, which use De Bell Golf Club as their home course, did lose some players to graduation and transfer, all three coaches say they have there share of talent this season.

Here is a closer look at the teams.

PROVIDENCE

The Pioneers might have surprised a few teams in the Liberty League last season, as they ended as tri-league champions with New Community Jewish and Pacifica Christian.

“Last year, only having a program for three years and to finish up there with those teams was nice,” Providence Coach Carl Light said. “It’s really going to be hard to tell how we are going to stack up against the other league teams until we actually start playing them. Usually the top teams in league generally have one or two fairly good players. …We are just hoping that we will have five players who will be kind of the middle of the road and our add-up will hopefully counter their good players.”

The Pioneers will field a team of nine players. Among the team’s top players are seniors Armaan Marza, Matthew Chung and Glenn Palimides, junior Tyler Lorita and sophomores Eddie Hwang, Joseph Brion and Andre Ortiz.

“It is a very good group and they are out there trying hard,” Light said. “The only bad thing about it is that once the season is over and we finish in May, they really don’t pick up a club until really the first day of practice. I ask them if they play and they tell maybe they played one time or something. They have the capabilities, they just don’t play.”

The other teams the Pioneers will be competing against in the Liberty League are Yeshiva, Trinity Classical Academy and Santa Clarita Christian.

BURROUGHS

The Indians did lose their team captain from last season, but the team has benefited by an influx of a few quality freshmen who could bolster the team.

“The freshman influx this year was definitely impressive,” Burroughs Coach Greg Everhart said. “I have two of the freshman guys who will be consistent varsity players and that’s very exciting. Losing the top spot last season, but essentially being able to fill that with potentially two, or even three, freshmen just makes it competitive for everyone who will have to fight for their spot.”

The lone individual to advance to last year’s Pacific League final was Daniel Kesicbasian, who is a sophomore and should be the team’s No. 1 golfer.

Also returning for the Indians are seniors Dylan McNeeley and Sivakorn Losakul, both of whom have been in the program for four years. Adding to the mix are returning juniors Patrick Colbert, who will be the team’s captain, and Tnick Trivimol.

“We have those two seniors and two juniors and, believe it or not, the rest of the team are freshmen and sophomores,” Everhart said.

Along with sophomore Garrit Green, freshmen are Louis D’Aquila and Patrick Smith also look to be promising underclass contributors.

In Pacific League competition, Everhart said he expects his Indians to be among the league’s leaders.

“I want to say that this year we have our best team that we’ve had here at Burroughs in a while,” Everhart said. “I really don’t know how strong the other teams are going to be. But I just know from past experience that Arcadia always has strong players, but they have a new coach, so they might be a different team. Then again I know [Crescenta Valley] has some top players, but I don’t know how deep they are.

“But I think we really have a good shot at it. We have a good mix of what I call the crafty veterans and the promising up-and-coming players. It’s a great mix.”

BURBANK

The Bulldogs have a different lineup than coach Frank Childress would have envisioned. Along with losing some quality players to graduation, the team has had to deal with some unforeseen departures.

“I had a lot of returners, but they all left,” Childress said. “I had one guy who moved to Texas, I had another guy from last year move back to Alabama, and he was my No. 2, and that’s made it really tough. We are going to have a lot of freshmen this year and hopefully they will be able to help us.

“It’s tough to lose those guys especially when we came in second in league last year. I guess you have to call this a rebuilding year for us.”

Burbank does have a quality returner in junior Jason Apinchapong. Also returning is junior Dylan Sherry and senior John Grasse could be the team’s best golfer. A sophomore who Childress has high hopes for is Joe Grasse, John’s brother, and freshman Taras Sergeev, a transfer from Ohio, could see his share of playing time.

“After that we just have a whole lot of other freshmen competing for starting spots,” Childress said.

In the Pacific League this season, Childress just hopes to compete.

“I don’t even think we will be able to make the playoffs this season because we’re so young,” he said. “But we will just see what happens.”