Gaels overcome wind, youth to win Sunset title

On Wednesday afternoon, Boulder Creek Golf Club was not the place for a tournament of any significance.

A stiff, dry wind overwhelmed the golf course like a bad cologne, frustrating the players, the coaches, the spectators and even the ducks.

The bunkers looked like sandstorms, the creeks were anything but still, and the course turned into funhouse.

Except for a few girls, that is.

Bishop Gorman freshman Jennifer Hahn took the Sunset Region tournament with a 6-over-par 78, one shot better than Centennial's Alex Borcherts and Cimarron-Memorial's Sydney Mack.

Hahn's win paved the way for the Gaels to take their fifth straight Sunset title, advancing to Monday's state tournament at Canyon Gate Country Club, where they will vie for their fifth consecutive title.

"It was pretty intense," Hahn said. "The wind was just a major part of my game. I didn't really hit any bad, bad shots. It was just really my putting that got affected."

Added Borcherts: "It's windy most of the time out here. I've played out here a few times, and you get used to it."

High scores were the norm, but Gorman walked away with the title not because its golfers were particularly good, but because none was particularly bad.

The Gaels were the only team to have three golfers below the century mark, with Hahn, Nicole Corpus-Massucci (82) and Nicolette Rivera (88) finishing in the top five.

Not bad for a squad of four freshmen and two sophomores, whose youth was evident by the high-pitched giggles over post-round refreshments. This, after coach Kelsey McCall had a group almost entirely of seniors last season.

"They're gonna laugh and do silly things and laugh about silly things," McCall said. "But with the younger girls, where I see a difference with their game is like when the wind started today, the old team, I wouldn't have had to say anything to them.

"Now I have to remind them that all the scores would go up, so don't get frustrated."

Late in a golf season, that really is all a golf coach can do -- keep his players focused, mentally prepared and ready. Xs and Os are out the window with four days until the state tournament; now only mind matters.

"My biggest job today was to keep them from getting demoralized," said Centennial coach Charlie Cerrone, whose Bulldogs advanced to the state tournament along with Gorman. "The thing we'll do to prepare them for Canyon Gate is get them comfortable playing the course."

McCall, meanwhile, is giving today off to his girls, hoping to clear their minds for the big tournament. Not that he's not excited to get out there -- he's probably doing finger exercises right this moment, preparing for a fifth championship ring for his right thumb.

"Always, always," McCall said with a laugh. "And I got two hands and 10 toes."