Eagles flying ahead
This week’s column is a roundup of high school girls’ golf both on and off the course.
Ashley Peters, Cassie Stevenson, Jillian Tanner, Jackie Tanner, Kimberly Leahy and Emily Leahy have contributed for Estancia.
Eagles’ Coach Art Perry says Laguna Beach will provide the toughest competition in the Golden West League. Estancia has three seniors, two juniors and two sophomores.
Corona del Mar Coach Mike Starkweather said the Sea Kings have benefited from Tiffany Su and Kim Schmied.
Su, a senior, is from Taiwan and Schmied, a sophomore, came from Switzerland.
Grace Kim, Emily Turner and Kaitlin Shinohara have also helped. Starkweather said it’s been a struggle figuring who to play in the fifth and sixth spots. CdM lost six seniors from last year’s team.
Nicole Middaugh is in her first year as girls’ coach at Sage Hill (1-4). Middaugh was a volunteer assistant for UC Irvine’s women’s golf team from fall 2008 to spring of this year. The ‘Eaters reached the 2009 NCAA championship tournament.
Newport Harbor (0-7) has one returning starter (junior Charlotte Skjonsby) and one senior Lauren Pfeifer.
Sailors’ Coach Scott Tarnow said nearly all members of last year’s team graduated. He said the focus is on developing players’ games, working hard, and the importance of grades.
Off the course, Tarnow and Jerry Murray have been working to get a golf practice facility on campus.
Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s board of directors and the district’s maintenance and operations are reviewing the proposal, Tarnow said.
The proposed site is behind the batting cages, which are behind the baseball field’s right-field fence.
Tarnow said he looked at a facility at JSerra in San Juan Capistrano for ideas for a facility at Newport Harbor. He said the space, a 35-by-25-yard plot, would include two hitting areas, chipping and putting greens and a sand trap.
Tarnow said one company is willing to donate all poles and netting if the project is approved.
The ultimate goal is to form a junior varsity team, Tarnow said.
This facility would provide a place for girls to practice their skills.
BRYCE ALDERTON’S golf column appears bi-weekly. You can reach him at balderto78@yahoo.com