WINDSOR — The race for the Coastal Mountain Conference South title is down to one last roll of the dice thanks to a bit of clutch play on Wednesday by the big three that make up the heart of the Kelseyville High School golf team.
Hipolito Perez carded a team-leading 77, Jonathan Bridges was two shots back at 79 and Nick Schaefer rebounded from a tough front nine to shoot 85 as the Knights beat St. Vincent at Windsor Golf and Country Club, setting up a winner-take-all finale next Tuesday at Oakmont Golf Course in Santa Rosa.
St. Vincent could have wrapped up the South title by beating Kelseyville, but the Knights battled for a 425-447 victory that leaves the two teams tied at 38-4 in the conference standings with one match remaining.
“I like our chances right now,” Kelseyville coach John Berry said. “I like our chances just because we”ve had kids in that situation before,” Berry added of the pressure of a playoff race. “I think we can win this thing.”
Kelseyville went undefeated in the CMC South a year ago with Lopez, Schaefer and Bridges in the lineup. The Knights also have won each of the last two CMC South matches played at Oakmont.
“Everything comes down to Oakmont on Tuesday,” Berry said.
Perez” 5-over-par score of 77 was the low round of the day and he was incredibly consistent, firing a 39 on the front nine and a 38 on the back nine. Schaefer”s day started with a 47 on the front nine, but he whittled that down to 38 on the back nine.
“The big three came through,” Berry said.
Teammate Cameron Blackburn nearly made it the big four with a round of 87 and Tyler Drake had 97 to round out Kelseyville”s scoring.
Following Kelseyville and St. Vincent in team scoring on Wednesday were St. Helena with 474, Tomales with 477, Rincon Valley Christian with 490 and Middletown with 491. Calistoga was incomplete (fewer than five golfers).
Doug Quinones of Middletown was the only golfer besides Lopez to break 80. He finished at 6-over-par 78. Blaine Ruggio was close behind with 80 and Lisa Copeland had 91.
“Ruggio is obviously the freshman of the year,” Berry said of Middletown”s ninth-grade standout. “He had a great round.”
Raymond Fechter of Calistoga fired an 80 and St. Vincent”s Mike McGowan and Rincon Valley Christian”s Ty Cazet finished with 84.
