On Tuesday, Nov. 27, the girls’ golf team took their 8-2 Peninsula Athletic League (PAL) Bay division championship record to the Poplar Creek Golf Course to compete in the PAL championships.
Junior Tessa Ulrich posted a score of 70 on the par 71 course, earning the best score of the night by far and clinching the Central Coast Section (CCS) Individual Championship title. Ulrich’s four birdies and 11 pars also advanced her to the CCS Individual Tournament.
Says Ulrich on how she achieved such a high honor, “I kept a pretty positive attitude and tried to be happy”.
Throughout the season, Ulrich has balance both her talent with an amazing attitude.
“Tessa is a talented and skilled player, and is a keen sportsman,” says head coach Guy Oling. “Her sportsmanship is outstanding … She is not only a talented golfer; she’s a superb individual.”
Co-captain junior Emily Paras also scored an 85, including a chip-in on hole 12 for a birdie.
Despite her performance, Paras, who injured her hand early in the season, felt her game could have fared slightly better still, saying, “There were a lot of silly mistakes, and my alignment for a lot of my putts was off”.
Sophomore Alexa Pilgrim scored a 104, while freshmen Brenda Fang and Gianna Garcia scored a 96 and 121 respectively.
Unfortunately, the Lady Dons’ effort fell just short of taking the tiebreaker against Menlo Atherton. The loss means that the team forfeits its bid for the team to advance to CCS. Aragon’s total shots numbered 476, well over Menlo Atherton’s 441.
Despite the loss, Oling was not fazed, saying, “I’m very satisfied [with how the season went] … My prediction was to be in the top three [in the league], and winning the league was the next level above my expectations”.
The team exceeded their preseason expectations to not only capture their second consecutive PAL championship, but also to put themselves in contention for an at-large bid to CCS.
Despite lacking a veteran leader, the team still maintained a combination of chemistry, skill, and a positive attitude. The Lady Dons only lost twice against San Mateo and Menlo Atherton.
While this season was impressive on its own, the team is expected to do even better next year. With the roster made up entirely of juniors, sophomores, and freshmen, no player will be graduating this May, and each is likely to return next fall for another go a CCS automatic bid.
Says Oling, “The expectations for the next couple years are good … I’m going to look for even more improvement next year”.
The team still has a narrow chance of competing in CCS for the team round should their playoff points qualify them. Regardless of their postseason run, one thing is certain: the future looks bright for the Lady Dons.
I couldn’t refrain from commenting. Exceptionally
well written!