Mira Costa Golfers Capture 10th Consecutive Bay League Title

Minus its number one player and the 2010 Bay League Player of the Year, senior David Kim, who was competing in a junior golf event in Arizona, the Mira Costa boys golf team settled for a tie with South Torrance as Bay League champions last Thursday.

Today and Thursday, the team polishes its game with non-league contests against Cerritos and Edison high schools before postseason competition [May’s Bay League individual finals at Griffith Park and team finals at Lakewood Country Club] begins.

Last week in a hotly contested match, Mira Costa came out on top of South on Tuesday to clinch the league title. On Thursday, they lost to South. If either team had won both matches, the championship would have been solely theirs. 

For the Mustangs, the shared title is no small feat. Their rookies have stepped up and made powerful contributions.

“This has been a special team this year," said Coach Bob Timberlake. "Having five varsity rookies coming in and playing smart, disciplined golf is very impressive.” 

Last Tuesday, at Los Verdes Golf Course against South, freshman James Houston coolly sank a downhill 20-foot sharp breaking putt for birdie.

Harper, who was playing in Houston’s group, went for the make on his chip shot, but came up four feet short, leaving Houston on the spot for his clutch putt.

“Coach Timberlake came up to us on the 9^th fairway and told us that one of us had to make our shot,” said J.P. Harper, senior captain.

“James manned-up big time," said Harper. "My hat is off to him. I have been doing this for four years, but he came up and was huge when it mattered.” 

After Houston’s make, Harper needed to follow up with a par-save to push the match into a tie.

Harper’s putt found the cup and brought the match to a 187-187 tie, with the tiebreaker going to the sixth varsity score.

Krishna Shergan’s 42 was good enough for the Mustangs to claim the tiebreak.

“That was just a great display of being mentally tough by both guys,” said Timberlake.

Lorenzo Gillenwater’s one-under 35 was the low score for the Mustangs followed by Kim and Harper at even-par 36. Houston’s birdie got him to 39 and J.J. Stanbury rounded out the team score with 41.

The Mustangs have been getting used to “razor-thin” margins as Timberlake’s group has battled in four matches during the season that were decided by one stroke or went to tiebreak.

“Our guys have stayed in the moment and been very mentally tough and learned what it takes to contribute as a team and play in a very tough Bay League,” Timberlake said.

Going into Thursday’s competition at Chester Washington, the Mustangs came up short of a sweep, as South Torrance was victorious 183-194.

Gillenwater again shot the low round for the Mustangs with a three-over par 37, followed by Harper, Houston and Evan Westerberg each with 39s. Freshman Kyle Cohen rounded out the varsity scoring with a 40.

“With six of our guys lost from last year’s team, I didn’t have high expectations, but with the way everything turned out I’m extremely proud and pleased with how we have played,” Harper said.

Said Timberlake, “We would have liked to have come away with the outright championship, but we’re not disappointed. This team has tremendous work ethic and realizes that there is more meat left on the bone.”