After a fourth-round win at Sand Canyon, the Valencia boys’ golf team followed up its performance on Monday in the fifth round at the Knollwood Country Club in Granada Hills as the leading them after the Vikings posted a total team score of 373.
“That course can be tough if you’re not hitting it well, so it was great to see the team handle the course and perform well,” Valencia coach Robert Waters said. “From a team standpoint, our goal is to continue gaining momentum toward the post-season. It appears the boys are peaking at the right time.”
Vikings’ freshman Namo Thoontakhob ended the day as the medalist in the fifth round with a total score of 71 (-1).
Thoontakhob turned in a standout performance, according to Waters, as the freshman tallied four birdies in the back nine.
“He is such a naturally talented player and young,” Waters said. “The future is definitely bright for him as he grows with his game.”
Thoontakhob goes into the final round in second place in the individual Foothill League standings as the Wildcats’ Tyler Sonnenberg holds firm in the top spot after he shot a 75 (+3) at Knollwood.
Sonnenberg enters the final round with an eight-stroke lead over Thoontakhob and will need another medalist-shooting day at Sand Canyon as there is only a 13-stroke difference between first place and fourth.
Although the goal is to capture both the team and individual titles, Waters and the Vikings are looking to end the regular season strong as he wants the guys to have the most momentum possible going into California Interscholastic Federation play.
“With one match left, it is about staying consistent and working on making small, subtle improvements,” he said. “As far as individuals, the boys are thinking the same way. Keep sharpening the game in preparation for the individual portion of CIF play.”
The Vikings hold an 80-stroke advantage over the second-place Saugus Centurions going into the final league contest on Wednesday at Sand Canyon.
The Centurions posted a total score of 406 and were the second lowest-scoring team in the fifth round with Tyler Melzian leading all Saugus golfers after he carded a 77 (+5).
In third place, West Ranch remains nine strokes behind the Centurions after the Wildcats carded a total team score of 411. The Hart Hawks were not far behind, posting a score of 420 to end the day in fourth place.
The Coyotes, who are in seventh place in the Foothill League standings, shot a total team score of 431 for the fifth-lowest team score at Knollwood.
Castaic’s leading golfer Noah Solomon jumped all the way to sixth place in the individual standings after a score of 78 (+6) in the fifth round.
As for Golden Valley and Canyon, the Grizzlies ended the day as the sixth-place team with a score of 435 with the Cowboys ending the day with the highest score of 441.
The Foothill League is scheduled to return for its final round of play on Wednesday with teams set to return to the Sand Canyon Country Club with tee time scheduled for noon.
