Palos Verdes Golf Team Enjoying Strong Run

The girls golf team at is experiencing another outstanding run and it's one head coach Ray Rivera hopes will continue through the postseason.

“It’s been very exciting with how well our team has been playing,” said Rivera, whose team captured the Burbank Tournament for the second straight year on Thursday. “Hopefully we can play for the regional and state championships this year. We just missed last year. But I’m very optimistic we’ll do well in the postseason because of the season we’re having.”

Last year, Palos Verdes missed advancing to the CIF-WSCGA Regionals by five strokes. This year, the Sea Kings are expected to be a factor again, particularly since they're giving golf powerhouse Torrance a run for the money in the Ocean League.

Palos Verdes entered the week tied with Torrance for the top spot in league until the Sea Kings dropped a 187-192 decision to the Tartars on Tuesday at Los Verdes Golf Club to fall a game back. The two teams were scheduled to meet again Wednesday at , but rain forced the match to be postponed. It could be rescheduled for either Oct. 18 or Oct. 20, Rivera said.

Despite Tuesday’s loss, the Sea Kings remain a confident bunch.

“It’s not the end of the world because if we beat them once it would be a big accomplishment,” said Rivera, who is 0-11 against Torrance in his six seasons as head coach.

A victory in the rematch would also allow the Sea Kings to tie for first place and possibly finish as co-champs with Torrance in league. That would be a monumental accomplishment since Torrance has ruled league play for more than a decade and hasn’t lost a league match since 2001.

The Tartars are 98-1 in dual matches since 2002, their only setback coming against Peninsula in 2009. But those numbers don’t intimidate Palos Verdes junior Elizabeth Doty. She believed playing at Torrance’s home course was the difference in Tuesday’s outcome.

“Having the home-course advantage probably accounted for a least a shot per player,” Doty said. “Since we lost by five, that’s one shot per person. It’s not like we had a really bad day. We didn’t do as well as we wanted, but it could have gone either way.”

Doty, who shot a match-high 34 against Torrance, is a big reason the Sea Kings (7-2, 4-1) have played so well. Sophomores Sophie Bergland and Mackenzie Perez, juniors Roxanne Mata and Natalie Mu and senior Jacqueline Cootes also have been key contributors. But Rivera believes they can get better as a unit.

“We set some team records already, but I still don’t think we’ve played our best yet,” Rivera said. “We haven’t played to our true potential yet, but I think we will eventually.”

Doty also believes their best days are ahead.

“Last year was really good for us, but I think everyone has improved this season,” she said. “Last year we were new to the playoffs and all because we had a really young team. But now we know what to expect. We’re better prepared.”