In what was expected to be a breakout season, boys’ golf is off to a shaky start, with a 2-2-1, through five matches. Last year, team won its first eight matches.
The Wolverines lost to the rival Loyola High School Cubs 181-187 in its first match his year. The score was among the Wolverines’ best performances in the last two years.
“We should have beaten Loyola,” captain Bakari Bolden ’14 said. “We shot 187 that day and a couple days after they shot 190, so they just had a great day against us. It was a combination between us getting a little unlucky and them getting very lucky. There is so little room for error and these wins and losses in league are so important because we only play nine holes and we only have 12 matches. So, it definitely cost us a little bit.”
The Wolverines followed their opening loss with two consecutive wins, both against Notre Dame High School.
The first match took place at the Wolverines’ home course, the Encino/Balboa Golf Course, where the team put forward its best performance this season, shooting a 179. Brandon Kewalramani ’17 led the Wolverines, shooting 2-under-par.
The team then traveled to Lakeside Golf Course and defeated Notre Dame 193-205 four days later March 10. The win marked the Wolverines’ first win of the season, after they lost to the Cubs.
“We were at our home course and I think the Loyola loss was still fresh in everyone’s mind. So, we were really focused and determined not to lose that day,” Bolden said. “We all just went out there and played our own game and shot well as a team. there. That was a glimpse into how we can play as a team.”
After back-to-back wins, the Wolverines traveled to St. Francis, who handed the team its third loss. The team fell by just three strokes in its 196-199 loss.
The defeat left the Wolverines with an even 2-2 record, which was far behind their expectations at the beginning of the season.
“I feel like I let the team down because how I was playing and struggling with my game,” Bolden said. “I wasn’t going out there and shooting my best rounds. I feel like I wasn’t helping the team out. So, I take responsibility for the team’s losses.”
“I don’t think it’s about the team improving as much as it is about all the guys reflecting on how much they want it and taking the initiative to put that drive into their practice sessions,” captain Jake Lepler said ’14 “We just need to start having all our guys show up on the same day. It was really great to see Bakari Bolden and Tyler Graham bounce back from some tough rounds and really show up and post great numbers.”
The team returned back home in another match with St. Francis High School, which ended up in a 186-186 tie on March 13.
Although the score ended in a tie, St. Francis ended up taking the match since its sixth player had a lower score.
In this match, Bolden returned to old form and shot a season best 3-under-par.
“The difference was that I had practiced every single day just because of how I was playing,” Bolden said. “I feel like myself again, I’m playing well, so I’m very excited and look forward to these next couple of matches. Hopefully, from here on we can go undefeated and show every team exactly what we came out to do, which is win, win CIF.”
