Prep girls golf: Rodriguez third in SJS Masters, advance to NorCals

By Daily Republic Staff

STOCKTON — The playing conditions were less than ideal, but the Rodriguez High girls golf team still made history in the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters tournament, Monday.
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With Darla May Dela Torre firing a 72 and Nikki Chindavong and Erica Villegas close behind with 74s, the Mustangs became the first city golf team – girls or boys – to advance to the Northern California Championships by placing third in the SJS Masters at The Reserve at Spanos Park.

​​With Destiny Rose Mendiola adding an 89, Noelle Concepcion a 96 and Tristiane Soto a 111, Rodriguez finished third with a team score of 405 to claim one of the three NorCal qualifying spots. The top three individuals not on the top three teams also advanced.

Granite Bay finished first at 384, followed by Pleasant Grove of Elk Grove at 393. The Mustangs needed every stroke as Lodi was a close fourth at 407, followed by Christian Brothers of Sacramento in fifth at 413.

Dela Torre’s 72 was the fourth-best overall score, while Chindavong and Villegas finished in a  three-way tie for 12th.

The Northern California Championship is Monday at Berkeley Country Club in El Cerrito. The top three teams and top nine individuals not from the top three teams move on to the CIF State Championship is Nov. 16 at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach.

The city’s previous NorCal participants were Armijo’s Joe Huarte and Aaron Beverly.