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Sierra’s Wallmer, 2nd-place East Union head local contingent in VOL opener
Flory leads Ripon to another TVL victory
VOL Golf Tournament
East Union’s Brandon Pine watches his putt roll toward the cup at Manteca Park Golf Course during the Valley Oak League opening tournament on Thursday. - photo by Wayne Thallander

Sierra’s Zane Wallmer carded the fifth best score, and East Union placed second as a team in the first Valley Oak League Tournament of the season Thursday at Manteca Park Golf Course.

The opener was originally scheduled for Tuesday but postponed because of weather conditions.

Oakdale is the early runaway leader after finishing with a 418. Runner-up East Union recorded a 458 and was followed by Manteca (477), Kimball (492), Sierra (518) and Central Catholic (564).

Wallmer was the top individual finisher from Manteca Unified schools with an 86. Oakdale’s Nolan Harris was low medalist with a 2-over-par 74 with a teammate Cooper Pitney trailing by a stroke. Kimball’s Sartaj Dhillon and Brandon Leval were third and fourth with an 81 and 84, respectively.

East Union was led by Brandon Pine’s 87. He was backed by Nolan Mix (89), Nick Ridgwell (89), Michael Pires (91) and Tony Agueda (102).

Tyler Watkins spearheaded Manteca with an 87. Connor DePrater (89), Ethan Freitas (94), Zenon Garay (96) and Cooper Chamberlain (111) rounded out scoring for the Buffaloes.

Sierra scorers after Wallmer were Konnor Spears (97), Carson Murray (107), Jake Llamas Majarro (109) and Payton Robertson (119).

Kimball hosts the next VOL tournament April 3 at Tracy Country Club.

 

Trans-Valley League

At Turlock Golf & Country Club, Chad Flory and Ripon continued their dominant start to the TVL season and won the second tournament.

Flory outdueled Escalon’s T.J. McNeil by three strokes, earning low-medalist honors with an even 72. The Indians as a team tallied a 402, while Hughson took second with a 468.

Ripon’s Vince Uecker and Marcus Atienza tied for third overall with 78s. Ty Herrin added a solid 81, and Jeremie Little turned in a 93.

The next TVL tourney takes place on Tuesday at Oakdale Golf & Country Club.

 

Southern Athletic League

Ripon Christian 188, Mariposa 277

The Knights battled through blustery conditions at Jack Tone Golf Course and won their league opener handily.

Wyatt Hayes earned first-place points with a 4-over 35. Cade Van Groningen and Carter Van Groningen each scored a 37. Ethan Schenk and Ben Miller capped scoring with a 38 and 41, respectively.