Carmel Valley
– Jordan Miller stood over a 10-foot putt at the 18th hole
Monday thinking it was the last one he would ever make as a high
school player.
Carmel Valley – Jordan Miller stood over a 10-foot putt at the 18th hole Monday thinking it was the last one he would ever make as a high school player.
Miller was wrong. Whereas Gilroy missed a chance to qualify for the Central Coast Championship by one stroke, Miller made it. So did Kelly Cox.
Miller’s putt gave him an 80 and the low round for a player not on a team qualifying for the CCS tournament at the Tri-County Athletic League finals at Quail Lodge Resort & Golf Club. Cox qualified with an 81, as did Alvarez’s J.J. Sanchez, who also shot 81.
As has been the case all season, Palma ran away with the team competition. In fact, junior Sean Etow played with the No. 1s and shot 80 and it was only good enough for No. 5 for the Chieftains.
Freshman Matt Ogden played the back nine in even par and his 39-36-75 was the best score of the day on the 6,449-yard, par-71 course. Cory Donnelly, the only Palma senior, followed at 76. Greg Classen and Kris Castella followed at 77 as the Chieftains’ 385 was easily the low team score
As has been the case much of the season, the only drama came down to which team would be No. 2. With Zack Zoller and Ken Munro leading the way, Salinas edged Gilroy 427-428 to secure the second spot. Zoller shot 77 and the long-hitting Munro shot 78.
“We’ve been neck and neck all season,” GHS coach Eric Kuwada said. “At least we had guys who knew where they had to be. It came down to the last players to see where we stood. Everybody was thinking about it on the way home, that they left a stroke on the course.”
Miller left nothing out on the course, shooting 40-40 while playing with Etow, Munro and North Salinas’ Andrew Garza.
“I was thinking that would be the last putt of my high school career,” Miller said of the 10-foot putt that secured a par on the 18th hole.
Cox was solid as well, following his 42 on the front nine with a 39 on the back side. Jonathan Higgins shot 85 and Dan Dockendorf shot 89. Estevan Gonzalez was fifth with 93.
“Salinas was the better school today, one stroke better,” Kuwada said. “We have battled Salinas all season and it was good that it came to the final putt and final score to determine the winner. I hope we learned from this disappointment.”
The CCS championship will be May 9 at Rancho Canada West in Carmel Valley.
Team results
Palma 385, Salinas 427, Gilroy 428, Alvarez 444, San Benito 473.
Gilroy – Jordan Miller 80, Kelly Cox 81, Jonathan Higgins 85, Dan Dockendorf 89, Estevan Gonzalez 93, Tyler Park 96.
