Prep Girls Golf: No shortage of talent for Poway High, Rancho Bernardo, Del Norte
By Michael Bower
Some of the San Diego County’s top high school girls golfers are playing right here in the local area.
Rancho Bernardo High, Poway and Del Norte will feature some of the section’s best, as all three are expecting to turn in another strong season.
The Broncos, which have reached the CIF SoCal Regional for three years in a row, have the loftiest goals of all. Rancho Bernardo is hoping to break through and reach the state tournament.
The Broncos have the talent with most of their team returning and then the addition of freshman Cece DeMatteo should make the goal of a SoCal Regional berth a realistic one.
Meanwhile, Poway should be fighting for third place in the Palomar League, which once again will be ruled by state power Torrey Pines.
The Titans return the core of their team and have also added a talented freshman in Grace Fitzgerald.
“She will be a solid player for us and will get better as the year goes along,” Poway coach Jim Bennet said. “She played a lot in the summer and she knows the girls on the team so they all get along and are having fun.”
Del Norte is the favorite to win the Valley League crown once again. The Nighthawks are gunning for a top-five finish in the county.
Newcomer Hanna Matilainen, a native of Finland, transferred into Del Norte and should help right away.
“She is long off the tee and a very mature golfer,” Nighthawks coach Mike Reifeiss said.
Del Norte also added Nastasia Kossacay, a native of Poland, to the lineup. Kosay came in just a tad too late to play last season, but should bring in a consistent score each week for the Nighthawks this year.
Here is a closer look at the local teams:
Rancho Bernardo
Coach:
Tim Steigerwald
Next match:
Today (Thursday) vs. Fallbrook at Fallbrook Golf Club, 3 p.m.
Top Golfers:
Hana Bradshaw, Jr.; Tori Hancock, Sr.; Jessica Wagner, Sr.; Cece DeMatteo, Fr.; Cassandra Kubinak, Sr.
Outlook:
The Broncos have reached the CIF SoCal Regional three years in a row, but are hoping to take the next step by making the state tournament this season.
“We haven’t been able to break through that regional yet,” Steigerwald said. “But I believe and our girls believe we can do it. Our expectation and goal is to finish top two in the section and finish top three in the regional and go to state.
The talent is there with the experienced veterans in Bradshaw, Hancock, Wagner and Kubinak. And freshman DeMatteo has played in all kinds of competitive tournaments outside of high school.
“She is not a typical freshman,” Steigerwald said. “She brings a great swing and a very good putter and a lot of experience.”
Catching section and Palomar League power Torrey Pines is likely out of the question, but the Broncos are definitely the next best team in league. La Jolla will figure to be battling the Broncos for that coveted second spot at the section championships.
Poway
Coach:
Jim Bennet
Next match:
Today (Thursday) vs. La Costa Canyon at Stoneridge Country Club.
Top Golfers:
Maddelyn Zack, Jr.; Lauren Spitzley, Jr.; Torre Brown, Jr.; Sarah Evans, Jr.; Joei Ducot, Sr.; Grace Fitzgerald, Fr.
Outlook:
The Titans are stacked with juniors, including Zack, who missed qualifying for the CIF SoCal Regional by only two shots last year.
Poway added freshman Fitzgerald to the squad. She adds another solid swing to a lineup full of them.
The Titans are expected to battle for that third spot in the Palomar League, as Torrey Pines and Rancho Bernardo will likely finish No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.
Poway took fourth at the section tournament last season and are looking to improve upon that finish.
The Titans had a decent showing at the recent Palm Desert Tournament, taking fourth place out of 12 teams.
Del Norte
Coach:
Mike Reifeiss
Next match:
Today (Thursday) vs. Fallbrook at Fallbrook Golf Club.
Top Golfers:
Annika Chickering, So.; Nastasia Kossacay, So.; Hanna Matilainen, So.
Outlook:
The Nighthawks are 29-1 in Valley League play over the first three years of the program’s existence. More domination is expected this season.
Del Norte went 9-1 in league on the way to another crown last year and will be the favorite to win another title. Mission Vista will be the lone challenger.
Standout Paris Griffith has graduated, but Kosay, who played on the Poland National Team, will fill in just fine as the top golfer. The addition of sophomore Matilainen should also help cement Del Norte at the top of the Valley League.
Chickering, who burst onto the scene last year as a freshman, has also proven to be one of the section’s best.
“I think we should be a top-five team in the county overall,” Reifeiss said, “and I think we should repeat as league champs.”