WINDSOR — St. Helena High School pulled into a first-place tie with Middletown atop the Coastal Mountain Conference South golf standings Thursday with a 368-380 victory over the Mustangs at the par-72 Windsor Golf Club.
Both squads are 29-6 going into the final match of the season Tuesday at the Valley of the Moon Golf Course in Santa Rosa. The one that shoots the low round will be the 2021 South champion.
“It’s not going to favor either team,” Middletown head coach Richard Pritchard said of the Valley of the Moon course. “It’s a smaller, tighter course, so it could help us. It’s anyone’s game at this point.”
Technology High School of Rohnert Park came in third in team scoring at Windsor with 419, Kelseyville was next at 424, Credo High School of Rohnert Park was fifth with 443, and Clear Lake’s team was incomplete (fewer than four players).
Kelseyville was sans head coach John Berry, who is at home recovering from surgery.
Middletown’s Austin Pritchard was the low medalist with a 5-over-par 77, a round that featured three birdies.
“His ballstriking was excellent all day, but his putter let him down a few times,” Richard Pritchard said of his son’s day on the course. “If the putter was hot, his score would have been a few shots lower.”
Dom Williams of Middletown broke 100 for the first time, finishing with 99. He also collected his first career birdie. Also for the Mustangs, Cooper Johnson carded a 101 while Emmanuel Montez had a 103.
“It was nice seeing Dom break 100,” Pritchard said.
Ren Bothof was low for St. Helena with 87.
Kelseyville was led by senior Cory Holt with 81. Also for the Knights, Caden Prather finished with 108, Lander Hockett had 113, and Lizzy Malaspina carded a 122.
Clear Lake brought only three players to the match and Nathon Lopez led the way with a 89, Peyton Ewing added a 99 and Emma Mertle fired a 115.
While the temperature in Lake County reached into the high 80s and even low 90s in some areas, not so in Windsor.
“It was 15 to 20 degrees cooler and breezy,” Pritchard said of the playing conditions. “The greens were firm and fast.”
Following the final match of the season next week at Valley of the Moon, the All-CMC South golf team for 2021 will be announced.
