Ball bounces CV’s way against La Cañada
PASADENA — Things didn’t go as planned for the La Cañada High boys’ golf team Wednesday in a nonleague match with Crescenta Valley at Brookside Golf Course No. 1.
The match began almost a hour late with the start time delayed because of a Pepsi Tour event that teed off in front of the first grouping, which forced the quick-moving Spartans into a slower pace.
The Spartans were also doomed by a disqualification from one their regular low scorers. It was too much for them to overcome as the Falcons pulled off the victory, 203-209.
“I am feeling pretty good today,” said CV Coach John Pehar, who got medalist honors from senior Andrew Cho, who shot a one-under-par 35. “We played a good team and we won. This is a confidence win.”
La Cañada (13-3) picked up the disqualification when one of its players accidentally signed an incorrect score card because he didn’t realize one of his shots on the final hole of the day went out of bounds.
If not for the disqualification the Spartans would have won, 201-209.
“It’s one of those losses that builds character,” La Cañada Coach Richard Tetu said. “There’s nothing to be upset about. This is just golf and that’s the way the cookie crumbles.”
It didn’t help that Cho, a senior, picked up his first medalist match of the season for Crescenta Valley (8-7).
“I played well and everything went well,” Cho said. “I am pretty excited we beat [the Spartans]. I came in thinking we could win today.”
Cho’s mark was three strokes better than anyone else on the day, as the Spartans’ Colin Morikawa and Falcons’ Paul Park each carded 38s and Joshua Suh turned in a 39 for La Cañada.
Morikawa said La Cañada’s entire lineup was thrown off by the slow pace.
“We were out here for two hours waiting for everybody, this was a slow round,” Morikawa said. “We’re a very fast-playing team and we were waiting for like 15 minutes on some tee boxes. It was hard.”
Crescenta Valley’s Adrian Chia and La Cañada’s Daniel Rhee both finished with 41s. Will Swanson shot a 42 for La Cañada.
The Falcons also got a 44 from Patrick Kallas and a 45 from Jun Ho Jo. The Spartans’ fifth and final scorer was a 49 from Colin Kreditor, who was playing his first varsity match.
Morikawa said the loss will serve as a lesson as the Spartans are nearing the end of their regular season.
“We just didn’t bring our ‘A’ game today,” Morikawa said. “This is our third loss of the season and we went undefeated last year so it’s shocking for everybody.”