MENDOCINO — Playing in fog and a misty rain through the front nine, Clear Lake High School’s golf team opened its Coastal Mountain Conference North schedule Tuesday afternoon at Little River Golf Course in Mendocino, making the best of the tough playing conditions to finish second in the four-team field.
With senior Nathon Lopez firing the low round of the day, a 10-over-par 82 on the damp Little River course, the Cardinals’ low four scorers combined for a 421, 13 shots behind Fort Bragg with 408 but well ahead of third-place Willits at 508. Mendocino didn’t have the minimum four players to field a complete team.
Each team was allowed to play a maximum of six players but only the four low rounds count toward a team’s final score.
Fort Bragg made the most of its home course advantage, according to Clear Lake head coach Ted Mattila, who said the difference between the Timberwolves and Cardinals was about three shots per golfer.
“Home teams in the NFL usually get three points (for homefield advantage),” Mattila said. “It’s a good starting point for us to get better during the season. There were a lot of bright spots.”
Lopez was certainly one of those as he was the only golfer to shoot in the 80s.
“He was really consistent,” Mattila said. “It was a tough round for him but he hung in there. He kept his cool.”
Playing conditions were better on the inward nine as the weather improved a bit, according to Mattila.
Also counting toward Clear Lake’s team total were rounds of 100 by Miles Mattina, 111 by Peyton Ewing and 128 by Keara Alonso. Also for the Cardinals, Brooke Hinchcliff carded 136 and Emma Hawk, playing in her first high school match, had 142.
The CMC North teams play again next Tuesday at Buckingham Golf and Country Club, Clear Lake’s home course.
