TRACY — There was no drama in the race for the team title going into the Southern Athletic League Championships on Wednesday, and Ripon Christian emphatically punctuated its unbeaten run with an impressive 393 score at Tracy Golf & Country Club.
At stake, however, was the individual prize.
That wound up in the hands of Ripon Christian junior Wyatt Hayes, who narrowly beat out Denair’s Ethan Gonsalves for the league MVP award.
It is believed to be the seventh straight SAL championship for Ripon Christian, and this may be its most dominant of all.
“The boys played one of the most complete rounds of golf I think I’ve ever seen in my time coaching at Ripon Christian,” RC coach Christian Manes said. “We have been talking a lot about game management and strategy, and the boys really did a great job managing their game today, eliminating penalty strokes and letting birdies come to them when they had chances.”
Three Knights were low medalists in the league finale. Finishing 3-over-par 75 along with Hayes were Ethan Schenk and Cade Van Groningen. Gonsalves ended a stroke behind the trio and came up a point shy of Hayes on the season-long leaderboard.
“Wyatt battles against some of the better golfers in the area every day at practice and in each match,” Manes said, referring to Wyatt’s teammates. “It takes a lot of consistent play to earn the points that he earned to get him to that top spot this year. He’s very committed to his game and put in the time to play at the level he can play at. He pushes the rest of our players, and we are lucky to have him.”
Van Groningen, the lone senior on the team, did well to overcome a triple bogey on the first hole, notching four birdies in holes 8-13.
Trey Van Groningen was in contention for low medalist but doubled the final hole, settling for a still-solid 77. Ben Miller rounded out scoring with a 91, and freshman Carter Van Groningen’s throw-away 96 was good for seventh best overall. All six Knights players made all-league.
Denair took second in the SAL final with a 552 and was followed by Waterford (556) and Mariposa (607).
Up next for Ripon Christian is the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI Tournament on Monday at The Ridge Golf Course in Auburn. The Knights are the two-time defending champion of this tournament with five overall banners.
