Warriors make it back-to-back

Westlake boys’ golf team seizes second straight state crown



NICE CHUNK OF HARDWARE—The Westlake High boys’ golf team won the CIF/CGA State Championship on June 3 at Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach. The Warriors, from left, are head coach Rick Naranjo, Alex Millet, Justin Egelske, Jack Biwer, Preston Smith, Matt Wolff, Spencer Soosman, Brandon Jacobs, Jerry Song and assistant Ross Fungentis.

NICE CHUNK OF HARDWARE—The Westlake High boys’ golf team won the CIF/CGA State Championship on June 3 at Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach. The Warriors, from left, are head coach Rick Naranjo, Alex Millet, Justin Egelske, Jack Biwer, Preston Smith, Matt Wolff, Spencer Soosman, Brandon Jacobs, Jerry Song and assistant Ross Fungentis.

Westlake High’s boys’ golf team did the unthinkable this season.

The Warriors claimed the CIF/ CGA State Championship on June 3 at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach to become the first school to ever win back-toback state titles in California.

“After we made it through league, we told ourselves the ultimate goal was to win state again,” junior Preston Smith said. “We took one step at a time and stayed in the moment.”

Westlake went undefeated in the Marmonte League before making another magical postseason run.

“We came into this year knowing we had a great chance to do something no other team had done before by repeating a state championship,” said junior Justin Egelske.

The four-stroke victory over second-place finisher Torrey Pines in the finals was extra sweet for the Warriors. In the CIF Regional round at Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena on May 28, Westlake struggled to a thirdplace finish while Torrey Pines, which won a state title in 2011, took first.

The Warriors qualified for the championship round, but the hiccup was a wake-up call.

“A lot of people just expected us to win and run the table this year,” junior Spencer Soosman said. “I told the team that wasn’t necessarily going to happen. It showed at Brookside.”

Warrior golfers said it was an off day for Westlake. The team wasn’t even sure if they’d get through to the final round for a chance to repeat as champions.

“We didn’t really fight at Brookside,” junior Jack Biwer said. “We kind of gave up a little bit and it showed.”

The added pressure from family, friends and fans weighed on the Warriors, but the golfers were determined to get focused before the finals.

“We all got together for a few team meetings in between Brookside and the state championship,” Biwer said. “We rallied together, and we were able to pull it out at state.”

Soosman and sophomore Matt Wolff, the team’s top golfers, led the Warriors by each shooting a 71 in the finals. Egelske shot a 75, Smith shot a 77 and junior Brandon Jacobs helped the cause with a 79 on the day. Biwer carded an 83.

The scores were low enough to keep the team atop the leaderboard and give the Warriors the ballyhooed victory.

“Winning one is a big accomplishment,” Biwer said. “Being the first to win back-to-back years and be the best high school golf team in the state two years in a row is pretty amazing.”

Westlake returned five golfers from last year’s championship lineup, but they lost superstar Sean Crocker to graduation. Crocker helped USC take second place in the NCAA Championship as the Pac-12 Conference Freshman of the Year this season.

The Warriors had a big hole to fill in head coach Rick Naranjo’s lineup.

Smith was up for the challenge. He excelled in the stacked lineup. The Warrior said he couldn’t be more pleased with this season’s outcome.

“It feels amazing,” Smith said. “I’m glad we were able to do it. Everyone played well and pulled together, and we ended up getting it done.

“Everyone on our team deserves it. It was fun traveling and having a good time with the team.”

The season may have just ended, but Westlake’s golfers, who will all return next season, don’t take breaks. The champs plan on spending their summer playing multiple tournaments. They know they’ll have to compete for a starting spot next season.

Westlake expects incoming freshmen to make an instant impact.

“We’re going to have seven or eight guys battling for those top six spots,” Soosman said.

With two state titles to show for its efforts, Westlake’s eyeing a potential run at an unprecedented third crown.

“ Everyone’s dedicated,” Smith said. “Obviously, now that we’ve won two, we’re thinking about next year and maybe getting three. There’s going to be more expectations.”

Soosman agreed with his teammate.

“When we get into season,” Soosman said, “We’ll start focusing on our goals of repeating again. Or should I say again and again?”

Egelske said the past two seasons will stay with him for a lifetime.

“We will always remember this,” Egelske said. “We’ll always remember being a great team and playing golf the way we should.

“Winning state is amazing. It’s something most teams can’t do and we’ve managed to do it twice. It’s remarkable.”


 

 

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