Nov. 19, 2019
Palo Alto High finally got a win for Northern California and made history in the process.
The Vikings shot a team score of 22-over 377 Tuesday at a cold and breezy par-71 Poppy Hills Golf Course to become the first NorCal team in to win a CIF Girls’ State Championship in the 16-year history of the event.
“The girls did great,” said Palo Alto head coach Doyle Knight. “They kept their composure. It’s been great.”
Leading the Vikings was Katherine Sung with a 73. Other scores (best five-out-of-six) were Lauren Sung (75), Bridget O’Keefe and Priya Bakshi (76), Sydney Sung (77) and Marina Mata (84). The Sungs are sisters, with Katherine being the oldest. Lauren and Sydney are twins.
According to Knight, that family bond was contagious, and helped the team achieve what it did. “They’re all friends. They just love one another,” Knight said. “The camaraderie is off the charts. And it’s not phoney.”.
Finishing second at 385 was defending champion Troy High of Fullerton. Third place went to 2014 champ Diamond Bar at 386.
In the Indivdual competition, Calabasas junior Caroline Canales won the title with a score of 1-under 70. Canales had competed at Poppy Hills during the 2018 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.
“I just stayed steady,” Canales said. “It was pretty windy, so I really had to think about my club selection.”
Canales carded 15 pars, a bogey and a pair of birdies on holes Nos. 9 and 12. On the the par-4 12th, her approach shot—a wedge from 113 yards out–hit the flagstick and dropped for an easy tap-in.
“I controlled my wedges and my speed on the greens was good all day,” Canales said.
Sherilyn Villanueva of Troy was runner-up at 71.
