Kinder makes CIF’s cut

When the CIF Southern Section Girls’ Golf Southern Individual Regional tournament gets underway Monday, Christianne Kinder will be carrying the Laguna Beach High banner at El Dorado Golf Course in Long Beach.

The senior is one of four athletes from the Golden West League to qualify for the tournament.

Kinder, team captain of the Breakers, finished third with a two-day 186 total at the conclusion of the Oct. 21 league finals at El Prado Golf Course in Chino. She also was in third place after league prelims on Oct. 20 at El Prado.

The top four finishers at the league tournament earned berths for the Southern Individual Regional.

“This is definitely exciting for me,” said Kinder, a three-year varsity golfer who has made league finals every year but is advancing to CIF for the first time. “After seeing the other Laguna seniors from previous years make CIF, I really wanted to qualify for the tournament. I knew I had the potential and this was my senior year and my last shot.

“When I learned that I qualified for CIF, I was...I don’t know the word...I was, exuberant.”

Kinder was one of four Breakers to advance to the Oct. 21 league finals tournament. Junior Taylor Weiss (202 total) finished in sixth place and made first-team all-league, freshman Jackie McMahon (217 total) tied for 11th place and made second-team all-league, and senior Devin Altieri (223 total) finished 12th and also made second-team all-league.

Estancia senior Ashley Peters (160 total) won the individual league title. The Eagles also are sending Cassie Stevenson (178 total) and Jillian Tanner (195 total) onward to Monday’s Southern Individual Regional.

“Christianne is very excited to go to individual regionals,” Laguna Coach Val Quigley said. “It was great to have four Laguna Beach girls finish in the top 12 this year. I am very proud of our team for doing so well in league finals and for tying for first place in league.”

Monday’s shotgun format starts at 8 a.m.

“My goal is to shoot my best score for 18 (holes) and see where it takes me,” said Kinder, whose top score for 18 holes is 88. “I just want to go out there at CIF and play my own game.”

The Laguna Beach girls’ golf team concluded another successful by tying Estancia for the league championship. The Breakers went 11-1 in league and 13-2 overall. The 2010 varsity team is: seniors Christianne Kinder, Devin Altieri and Hilary Jonus, juniors Taylor Weiss, Laura Kawashiri and Vivian Mendoza and freshmen Jackie McMahon and Sarah Simmons.