Eagles Dish Up a Victory

MURRIETA — Just how happy was the Santa Margarita High golf team after winning the CIF-Southern California Golf Assn. Championship Tuesday? Try truly giddy.

The whoops that rang out when the Eagle players learned they beat Santa Barbara San Marcos by two strokes at the SCGA Members’ Club at Rancho California were only the beginning.

“I think we’re all going have to eat out of this at Sizzler,” said senior Nate Blauer, holding the championship plate.

Later, Blauer posed for pictures kissing the same trophy. Presumably, that put a stop to the idea of using it for a dinner plate.

Santa Margarita earned the right to be a little silly, shooting five-over-par 365, the lowest score in the CIF-SCGA tournament since Westlake shot 362 at North Ranch in 1987. The Eagles had three players shoot par or better, led by junior Tom Osseck at two-under 70. Blauer and fellow senior Kelly Craig each shot 72. Jimmy Pittenger (75) and Nicolas Fritz (76) rounded out the Eagles’ scoring five.

San Marcos, the Southern Section team champion, was only slightly off the pace with four players shooting 74 or better: J.R. Ruda (71), George Downing (72), Michael Chavez (73) and Ryan Nomura (74).

Servite, the Southern Section runner-up, finished fifth at 388, led by Adam Ainbinder (75) and Chris Arns (76). University finished seventh at 396. Brian Sinay shot 73 and Ron Won shot 77.

The boys’ individual championship was won by David Oh, a sophomore at Cerritos Whitney. Oh shot four-under 68, surviving a bogey on his second-to-last hole to hold off Long Beach Wilson junior Kelly Williams. Williams birdied two of his last four holes to finish with a 69. Nathan Nouskajian of Pasadena Poly was third at 70.

Sinay, a freshman and the Southern Section individual champion, and Mission Viejo senior Bob Sauer (73) tied for the low round by an Orange County player in the individual competition.

Nicole Dalkas of Palm Desert shot five-under 67, believed to be the competitive course record from the red tees, to win the girls’ title. Kim Kowabunpat of Upland was second with a 68. Candie Kung of Fountain Valley and Alicia Um of Westlake Village Westlake shot 70 with Kung taking third after she and Um compared cards.

Yon Yim of Woodbridge shot 72, the only other player from the county to shoot in the 70s.

It was an especially satisfying victory for Santa Margarita, which finished second--by one stroke--to Westlake last year in this event.