ROHNERT PARK — All four of St. Helena’s scoring team members fired rounds in the 80s Wednesday afternoon as the Saints extended their lead over Middletown in the Coastal Mountain Conference South golf standings with a win at the par-72 Foxtail South Golf Club in Rohnert Park.
St. Helena finished with 337 (the total of its four lowest rounds) to Middletown’s 348 and Technology’s 414. Credo, Kelseyville and Victory Christian all were incomplete (fewer than four golfers).
The Saints’ team depth served them well, according to Kelseyville head coach John Berry, who said the difference between low scorer Rehn Bothof (82) and their Nos. 3-4 scorers was only four strokes.
“All four finished in the 80s and that’s pretty hard to beat,” Berry said.
St. Helena, now 19-1 in the South standings and a winner for the third time in four South matches, can put a stranglehold on the conference race if its wins next Wednesday at Chardonnay Golf Club in Napa, according to Berry.
“That’s probably a must-win for Middletown if they want to stay in the race,” Berry said of the defending South champions.
Middletown (17-3) had three golfers shoot in the 80s, led by Cooper Johnson’s 83, which tied him for the second-lowest round of the day. Jaden Reese was next at 86 and Luke Hoogendoorn had 87. Dom Williams’ 95 rounded out the Mustangs’ scoring.
Sebastian Maurice of Technology had the only other round in the 80s with a team-leading 88.
For Kelseyville, which began the day with three players but finished with only two after Michael Wiser retired from the match after seven holes with back spasms, Lander Hockett led the way with 109 and Nate Sherman had 124.
The CMC South was originally scheduled to play at Vintners Golf Club in Yountville next week but the match was moved to Chardonnay, the site of U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur Open qualifying in the past.
“It’s a great course,” Berry said. “It’s a great test of golf.”
