Robert Gautney: Young but talented BC set to start season
| Thursday, Jan 26 2012 11:17 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Jan 26 2012 11:18 PM
The Bakersfield College Men's golf team always has the same goals each and every season. Winning the Western State Conference title is always No.1 on that list and if they accomplish that goal then the remainder of the team goals will follow.
This year, the 10-member Renegade squad is going to have to prove that it belongs, but to do so will require that the all-freshman team "mature in a hurry".
Gone from last year's team are Rich Gilkey (Cal State San Marcos), Ruffie Fessler (Fresno State) and Daniel Russell (William Jessup University in Rocklin), the trio who kept BC in the hunt in most tournaments. But with their departure comes the chance for the freshmen to step forward and take command.
"We will be very young, obviously with all freshman," says BC assistant coach Bob Paillet, who along with head coach Bill Kalivas, will try to get Renegades off to a quick start this Monday and Tuesday as they host the Double Eagle Invitational at Seven Oaks and Rio Bravo country clubs.
"They will be playing courses that they have never played before and competing against better competition than in high school, but they all are All-Area players of some form or another," says Paillet. "But I believe that wey have the talent collectively and if they mature by the second half of the season, I think we can be right there and compete for the conference."
Paillet says defending WSC champion Glendale, along with perennial power College of the Canyons and Ventura, will be the teams to beat. BC will get a first-hand look at those three teams, as well as defending state champion West Hills and five other schools, in its tournament next week, including WSC foes Allan Hancock and Santa Barbara. Fresno City, Reedley and Citrus round out the field.
Although Paillet says that the group is still in the process of qualifying to determine who the top 6 will be that will comprise the team for the opening tournament next week, they are starting to separate themselves.
Leading the way so far are Centennial grad Jack Henneberry and Brandon Pinuelas from West High with Kevin Antongiovanni from Garces and Matt DeFord from Stockdale right behind. Henneberry was a First Team All Area selection, while Pinuelas and DeFord were second team and Antongiovanni was honorable mention.
"Those are the four with the top scores so far, but we have just begun, so there is plenty of time for the others to secure their spots," says Paillet. "I'm sure it will be tough competition for positioning all year."
Neil Batista, a First Team All Area player from Centennial, Travis Millwee and Max Schmidt (First Team All Area) from Liberty and Carlos Fernandez (honorable mention) from Frontier are the other incoming freshmen while Koby Owen from Los Angeles and Ryan Lyberger from Porterville are red-shirt freshmen.
The Double-Eagle Invitational first round will be Monday at Seven Oaks starting at 10 a.m. with the final round Tuesday at Rio Bravo starting at 8 a.m. The public is invited out free of charge.
Tee to Green appears weekly at Bakersfield.com/sports. You can reach Gautney at rgautney@bak.rr.com.
