PETALUMA — Kelseyville High School failed to crack the top 10 in the team standings Monday during the North Coast Section Championships at Rooster Run Golf Club in Petaluma, but three Lake County golfers, including two from Kelseyville, won”t be calling it a season just yet.
The top 10 teams in the 20-team field automatically qualify for next Monday”s Tournament of Champions at Franklin Canyon Golf Course in Hercules as do the 12 golfers shooting the lowest rounds that aren”t members of top-10 teams.
Doug Quinones of Middletown fired a round of 75 that included two birdies on the par-72 course to land one of those individual berths. Also qualifying were Kelseyville”s Nick Schaefer and Jonathan Bridges, both with 80, and Rincon Valley Christian”s Ty Cazet with 77.
“You needed 81 or better to make it,” Kelseyville coach John Berry said.
With 11 slots filled, three golfers who tied with 81 were competing for the final slot in a sudden-death match as the Kelseyville team was leaving Petaluma, according to Berry.
Marin Catholic of Kentfield won the team title with 372, nine shots better than Ukiah (381). Some of the other team qualifiers were Cardinal Newman (388), Windsor (395), San Rafael (397), Analy (421), Coastal Mountain Conference South champion St. Vincent (431) and McKinleyville (432). Kelseyville finished 14th with 461, led by Schaefer”s and Bridges” rounds of 80.
The lowest round of the day belonged to Ukiah”s Max Brazill and San Rafael”s Alex Franklin, both with 69. Craig Pierce of Marin Catholic had a 71 and J.J. McMillen of Ukiah and Danny Cacho of Justin-Siena tied with 73.
At next week”s TOC, Berry said he likes Quinones” chances of moving on to the Northern California Championships on May 19. Quinones just missed out at last year”s TOC after losing in a four-way playoff for the final individual berth into the NorCals.
“I think he could do it,” Berry said. “I think he”ll pretty much have to shoot par to get in (to the NorCals).”
While Kelseyville, a TOC qualifier last season, failed to reach that level this season, Berry said the Knights nonetheless distinguished themselves during what was supposed to be a rebuilding campaign in 2008.
“It”s always good for a young team to be in the hunt until the bitter end,” Berry said. “The playoffs are an experience you can”t recreate.”
