The Wilson boys’ golf team has legitimately high hopes for this season as they try to win a third consecutive CIF Southern Section championship. The Bruins (5-3, 2-0) are led by the best golfer in the city, Tyler Schafer, and have a 148-match Moore League winning streak that dates back to 2004.
“This is a fun group that puts team first,” Wilson coach Jeff Evans said. “They have really good chemistry because most of them have been together for these three successful years.”
Schafer, who is committed to attend Long Beach State, is the two-time defending Moore League individual champion who earned the medalist honors at the CIF-SS Southern Individual Regional last year. He went on to shot even-par 72 and survive a playoff hole at CIF State Regional at Brookside Golf Course. Schafer earned an All-State medal in the CIF Finals in Pebble Beach, and said his goal is to win State this year. The final round is that the same course where he placed fourth as a sophomore.
“Tyler has set some lofty goals for himself,” Evans said. “But he has proven that he is capable of reaching them”
Schafer won the Serviette Invitational in February with a 1-under par round of 71. He was the low finisher for Wilson at the De La Salle Invitational earlier this month to help the Bruins finish seventh out of 24 teams. Schafer shot a 3-over par round of 74 that included an eagle on a holed-out 54 degree wedge from about 100 yards. He also won a Toyota Tour Cup event last week.
Wilson seniors Tyler Allen, Andre Calubid and Jon Gough as well as juniors Brad Calubid and Brandon Bennett and sophomore Samin Bhagat have all put up good scores this season, but the Bruins have lost some matches they felt they should’ve won.
“We all have that third title on our minds,” Schafer said. “But in the last two years at this point in the season we were playing better than we are now. It’s a matter of playing smart and with focus.”
The Calubid brothers tied for second behind Schafer in last year’s league individual final. They were joined by Allen, Bhagat and Bennett at the CIF-SS Individual Regionals.
Millikan (7-1, 2-0) sent junior MJ DelaCruz to the individual regional as well, and he is leading the Rams to a great start this season.
“Feels like we’ve been second place for the last 10 years of so,” Millikan coach Robert Tomlin said. “We just can’t catch those Bruins.”
Millikan has been battling with Poly for that second spot in league, but the Rams swept the Jackrabbits last year, and beat them 417-425 in an 18-hole league round last Thursday at El Dorado Golf Course. Poly senior Jacob Betts, who was fourth individually in league last year, took the medalist honor with a 1-over round of 73. DelaCruz was the low finisher for Millikan with a round of 78. The Rams also beat Lakewood this week 205-235 at El Dorado Golf Course, and Hayden Seaver was the low finisher for Millikan with a 2-over round of 38.
If the rain holds, Wilson and Poly will face each other on Thursday at Recreation Park Golf Course, and then the Bruins will take on Millikan on Tuesday, March 27.
