This fall, the Islander Girls Varsity Golf Team welcomes back seniors Ines Izuzquiza, Bella Villarin, and Emily Scheurer, who are all looking forward to finishing their high school careers strong. Sophomore Elleaire Lyons is also returning and continues to prove that the future of the Islander team is bright. Fellow sophomores Dhara Jost and Kylie Peterson have made the transition from Junior Varsity to Varsity this year, and are bright young pupils of the game as they gain experience under the captain leadership of Ines and Bella. The Islanders also welcomed three brand new players to the game: freshmen Caroline Timmons and Andi Socconini along with senior Maria Aramburo.
The Islanders’ first match of the season was held at the Bernardo Heights Country Club against one of their strongest competitors in San Diego: the Rancho Bernardo Broncos. Ines, a key player on the team, was absent from the match. It was also both Dhara and Kylie’s first time playing the course. Despite the odds, the Islanders battled it out against blind approach shots and tricky pin placements. Due to the recent Hurricane Hilary, there were noticeable sandy patches on the greens and in the fairways, and the bunkers were also rock-solid.
Villarin was medalist of the match with a round of two-over par 38. Lyons followed with a 44. Scheurer scored a 55 and Jost carded a 56. Peterson rounded out the team with a 72. Although it wasn’t the Islanders’ best performance, every score counted since only five girls played.
High school golf, similar to collegiate golf, requires a team to have at least five players in a match. Ideally, six members will play and the group will take the best five, so there is a little leeway for error. In the Islanders’ case, they struggled to put six players on the course and had to count every score towards their cumulative total of 265. Although the girls suffered a tough loss to Rancho Bernardo 197-265, it was only the first match of the season and there were plenty more opportunities for Coronado to prove its ranking among the best schools in San Diego.
The Islanders held their first home match on August 29 against Rancho Bernardo. Back on home turf with six players participating, the girls were looking forward to clinching the win.
Villarin was medalist with a round of one-over par 37. Lyons recorded her best nine-hole score of her high school career so far: three-over par 39. As a sophomore stepping up to the plate and shooting in the 30s, Lyons is an example of the bright future of the Islander team. Izuzquiza carded a 40; it wasn’t her best performance, but she was just warming up as the season began. Jost shot a 49, also her low round of her high school career so far. Jost improved by seven strokes from the previous match, not an easy feat to accomplish. Peterson reduced her previous match’s score by a whopping 16 strokes to card a 56 on the front nine.
The Islanders were narrowly defeated by just ten strokes 211-221. Just shaving off a stroke here or there by avoiding a bunker or three-putting, the Islanders have the potential to be right in the mix to win their next match. The team took these learning lessons in stride and prepared for their next home match against Torrey Pines, currently the number one ranked team in San Diego.
Villarin was medalist with a round of one-under par 35, her best for the season yet. Izuzquiza shot a 41 and Lyons a 43. Jost proved her consistency and carded a 50. Peterson rounded out the Islanders with a 60.
Luckily for the Islanders, they are still competing in nonleague matches, which allows the girls to gain experience and course knowledge in these early-season rounds. The younger members will no doubt continue to improve and shoot lower as the season progresses, but for now they’re taking it one day at a time.
With a team differential of 39.65, Coronado is currently ranked 13th out of 40 schools in the San Diego section. With an individual differential of 0.23, Villarin is currently ranked 5th in San Diego and Ines is ranked 30th with a differential of 3.77.
This week, the Islanders have three matches. They will play against Canyon Crest Academy on Tuesday at the Lomas Santa Fe Country Club. On Wednesday, the girls will compete against Cathedral Catholic High School at Rancho Santa Fe Country Club. And on Thursday, the Islanders will have a rematch against Canyon Crest at home.
Find CIF San Diego Section Girls Golf results here.
Find Coronado team and individual player results here.
