Shooting for the playoffs
BOYS GOLF With an undefeated season, the Brahmas have clinched their ninth league title and will be competing in CIF.
Junior Thomas Lee putts in a match against Wilson at Royal Vista golf course.
April 26, 2017
Having overcome all teams in the Palomares League unblemished, the Diamond Bar boys golf team is headed to CIF individual playoffs with a league title clinch.
The closest the Brahmas came to a loss was last month on their home court against Ontario Christian High School, where they have not lost in over 15 years, according to Coach Tony McCabe. A tie of 206-206 was broken by a card off, giving the win to the Brahmas.
By also defeating the Bonita Bearcats 203-225 at home and 187-209 away and the Glen A. Wilson Wildcats 206-276 at Royal Vista Golf Club and 222-285 at home, the boys secured a ninth consecutive league title. Currently with a 10-0 league record, the Ayala Bulldogs are the only competitors left.
Against Bonita, junior captain Sam Cho led with a score of 37 at home and freshman Leo Lu with 36 in the away match. Against Wilson, Cho led again with 39 at home and Lu and junior captain Thomas Lee with 38 in the away match.
“We’re in the driver’s seat. We have a really good chance of winning our ninth straight title,” McCabe said.
Although earning nine straight league titles is a feat in itself, the team is not satisfied. With CIF individuals and teams coming up, the boys cannot rest.
McCabe expects significantly tougher competition at the state level, anticipating struggles against teams such as the Sunny Hills Lancers, the Palm Desert Aztecs and the Great Oaks Wolfpack, who have held the divisional championship for the past two years.
“It’s time to change gears. Los Serranos South is our new home course. We want to dominate there, and that’s how we’ll do best as individuals and as a team,” McCabe said.
The team played at the Los Serranos Country Club against Ayala and will return there for both individuals and divisionals. To maximize their readiness, the boys will focus on studying the course.
The Brahmas continue to play with impressive balance, McCabe said, being able to cover one another for shortcomings on the course. The freshmen, including Lu and Thomas, also have not fallen behind their older teammates and remain some of the best players on the team.
“It’s almost automatic. Two guys are going to play better than normal, two guys are going to play normal, and two guys are going to have a tough day. And it’s almost every day like that,” he said. “Beating Glendora twice was a solid team effort.”
The boys will be playing on an individual basis outside of league, however, and sophomore Bryan Chiu has risen to the top during the first half of league. Scoring a 35 at Glendora was a “league championship-winning round,” McCabe said. Chiu, who McCabe predicted would perform “somewhere in the middle” of the team, is currently the top golfer in the Palomares League.
The Brahmas will wrap up a crucial game against Ayala tomorrow at Los Serranos, which will determine whether or not they will share the league title with the Bulldogs. If the Brahmas take the away game, they are set to be the only league champions; if they lose, they will clinch, at worst, a tie for the title.
