Crescenta Valley High girls’ golf ready for postseason
After a second-place finish in the Pacific League, the members of the Crescenta Valley High girls’ golf team will now direct their focus to the postseason.
The Falcons have had their share of success the past two seasons in the playoffs, finishing sixth in the CIF Southern Section Central Team Divisional each time.
Crescenta Valley will now try its hand in the Eastern Team Divisional at 8 a.m. Thursday at Jurupa Hills Golf Course in Riverside.
Crescenta Valley fourth-year Coach Lee Pope said the Falcons return a large core of players from both postseason runs.
“It’s something that can help us with having all that experience,” said Pope, the reigning All-Area Girls’ Golf Coach of the Year. “We feel confident going in against some elite competition.
“We have a good mindset. We would like to take that next step and we think it’s within our grasp.”
Joining Crescenta Valley from the Pacific League will be Arcadia and Burroughs, which placed first and third, respectively, in league. Among the other leagues slated to compete in the 18-hole event on the par-71 course are Big VIII, De Anza, Desert Valley, Freelance, Inland Valley, Mountain Pass, Southwestern and Sunbelt.
The top three teams from the Eastern, Central, Northern and Southern team divisionals, which will all be held Thursday, will advance to the Individual Championship and Women’s Southern California Golf Assn. Qualifying Tournament at 7:30 a.m. Nov. 7 at Talega Golf Club in San Clemente.
The top four teams and top 28 individuals will then move on to the Regional State Qualifier, which will be held Nov. 14 at The Golf Club at Rancho California in Murrieta.
Pope said the Falcons will field a lineup consisting of Jocelyn Chia, the reigning All-Area Girls’ Golfer of the Year, Audrey Chung, Andrea Han, Gina Chung, Laura Perez and Alice Yoon. Chia, who won three league individual championships in a row between 2010-12, and Han are fresh off competing in the CIF Southern Section Northern Individual Regional at River Ridge Golf Club’s Vineyard Course on Monday in Oxnard. Chia was one of three area golfers to advance.
“Half of the players were on the team that played at Jurupa in 2011,” Pope said. “It’s mostly a flat course with some little hills and lots of trees. If you hit the ball straight, then you will do fine and you’ll be rewarded. It’s right there for them.”
Chia, one of 36 contestants to advance out of the Northern Individual event, said the Falcons will be able to draw from their past experiences.
“We know we can do well,” Chia said. “We can look at what we’ve done before.
“We will try our best. We want to also be able to go out there and have some fun.”
