Girls Golf
Last week, the Islander girls golf team competed in the annual San Diego City Tournament at Balboa Park Golf Course. Featuring the Eastern and Western leagues, Coronado was amongst ten schools, including Scripps Ranch, Point Loma, La Jolla, the Academy of Our Lady of Peace, Cathedral Catholic, University City, San Diego, Patrick Henry, Morse, and Mira Mesa. With a field total of 46, the Islanders entered eight players: Mary Damian, Annie Holland, Samantha Lorr, Mariella Avannia, Natalia Avanni, Ines Izuzquiza, Bella Villarin, and Jasmine Lo.
On Tuesday, May 18, the first day of the tournament was scheduled as an eighteen-hole stroke play event. With tee times scattered throughout the early afternoon, the team experienced the thrill of a competitive tournament environment for the first time this season.
Balboa Park played at 5360 yards from the red tees at a par 72. It held a course rating of 72.1 and a slope of 120. The front nine was significantly more challenging for most players as they faced steep hills, narrow fairways, and well-placed bunkers. In fact, it was deemed as one of the hardest courses to walk.
Freshman Ines Izuzquiza led the Islanders with an impressive six-over par 78. She placed fifth overall and was the lowest-scoring freshman out of all ten schools. Senior Mary Damian placed seventh with a ten-over par 82. Freshmen Jasmine Lo and Bella Villarin were tenth and eleventh, respectively, with scores of 85. Senior Samantha Lorr rounded out the Islanders with a solid 90, placing eighteenth.
With the top five players’ scores combined, the Islanders collectively shot 420, just behind Scripps Ranch’s 406 and placing second out of ten schools. The top sixteen players qualified to compete in matchplay the following day, but several girls were unable to attend due to academic commitments. Coronado boasted five players going into the second day: Ines Izuzquiza, Mary Damian, Jasmine Lo, Bella Villarin, and sophomore Mariella Avanni, who posted a score of 93. Scripps Ranch also had five eligible players, and Point Loma, University City, and Cathedral Catholic each entered two girls.
The second day of the city tournament was formatted as matchplay. After the first nine holes, four Islanders were still in the running to claim the championship. Mary, Ines, Bella, and Jasmine all defeated their opponents to continue to the back nine. Mary outperformed Cathedral Catholic’s Brooke Kinnear one up. Ines faced Scripps Ranch’s Charlotte Gerber and finished four and three. Bella squared off against University City’s Lynn Pham to come out one up. Lastly, Jasmine defeated Point Loma’s Emilee Canepa also one up to move on to the next nine.
“To get four people through, we had the most players in the quarterfinals,” Coach Stuart described. “Scripps Ranch had three, and Point Loma had one.”
During the second round of matchplay, the girls were up against players with years of high school and tournament experience. Mary was paired up against Scripps Ranch’s Kiana Glossner, who placed fourth in last year’s city tournament. Ines was against Scripps Ranch junior Isabella Ranches. Jasmine was competing against 2020 runner-up Ruhee Pandit, also from Scripps Ranch. Lastly, Bella was up against Point Loma’s Taylor Riley. All players finished three and two, besides Ines’s win of two and one.
“It was an exceptionally great performance from three of our freshmen,” Coach Stuart commented.
Only four players out of the original sixteen were left in the running on the second day and third round of matchplay, including freshman Ines Izuzquiza. She squared off against 2020 runner-up Ruhee Pandit.
“It was very cold and very windy on the last day. Through the greens, Ines was great. She came against Ruhee, who started with three birdies in the first three holes,” Coach Stuart described. “Ruhee played exceptionally well. Everything was good. She chipped in, she sank three putts about 20 yards. It was unbelievable.”
Ines finished the front nine one under par and Ruhee three under. The Islander was defeated three and two, but still put up an excellent fight against a senior and division one college-bound player.
“For a freshman to come fourth in the city tournament, that is excellent because normally freshmen don’t get through the first round. At least for the last six years that I’ve been here, freshmen have always gone out,” Coach Stuart explained. “All those girls had experience in matchplay, and it definitely showed. It is a good experience, especially for colleges, who love it because they like to see how people get on in matchplay. It’s a totally different game and different psychology.”
On Monday, May 17, the girls junior varsity team squared off against the JV team of the Academy of Our Lady of Peace at Balboa 9. As their first match of the season, the girls easily won 229-279. With one match and an enormous victory under their belts, they eagerly look forward to many more to come as the season progresses.
The varsity girls golf team has their CIF play-in match scheduled for Wednesday, May 19, at Coronado as a tri-match against San Dieguito and La Costa Canyon. The winning school will qualify to compete in CIF as a team on Tuesday, June 1, and Thursday, June 3, at Oceanside Municipal Golf Course and La Costa Resort and Spa, respectively. The JV team does not have any matches scheduled.
Boys Golf
The boys varsity golf team did not have any matches last week. The San Diego City Tournament is scheduled on Tuesday, May 25, at Balboa Park Golf Course. Eighty players will compete for sixteen spots in the matchplay round, spanning two days.
Find 2021 City Conference Championship Tournament results here.
Find Coronado girls golf player information and match results here.
Find San Diego Section boys golf standings and match results here.
Find Coronado boys golf player information and match results here.
