Coast Extends Its Lead With Win at Tijeras Creek

The Orange Coast College men's golf team extended its lead in the Orange Empire Conference standings to four wins by edging past event host Saddleback in the final regular-season conference match of the year.  The Pirates posted a team score of 381 while Saddleback finished second at 390 while both Mt. San Antonio and Cypress posted scores of 393.

The Pirates (34-6) were led  by Connor O'Hern's 75 while Myoung Kim, Taka Inoue, and Chris Casey carded 76's to provide Orange Coast with a balanced attack.  Saddleback was led by Cole Griffo at 1-over-par 73 while Spencer Allen (77) and Kevin An (78) helped the Gauchos climb back into the hunt for a post-season appearance.

Mt. San Antonio edged out Cypress for third place on the afternoon, despite both teams posting 393 scores.  The Mounties' sixth man posted an 85 while Cypress' sixth man withdrew from the competition.  Cole Albert paced the Mounties with a 73 while James Johnson added a 75.  Cypress was led by identical 75's from Dalton Davenport and George Bris.

Riverside slipped to fifth on the afternoon after posting a team score of 398, despite a 2-under-par performance from individual medalist Ryan DeHart (pictured).  Teammate Conner Weissberg added a 79 as the only other Tiger to break 80.  Irvine Valley posted a team score of 422 as Jinhan Park led the Lasers with an 80. 

All six teams will play in the Orange Empire Conference championship on Monday (April 30) at Los Serranos Country Club in Chino Hills.  The one-day, 36-hole championship will determine which teams advance to the CCCAA South Region championship on Monday, May 7, at the Bakersfield Country Club.  Orange Coast and Cypress (30-10) have already locked up a trip to Bakersfield.  Riverside (19-21), Mt. San Antonio (19-21), and Saddleback (18-22) are battling it out for the conference's third team entry into the South Region event.

The individual conference title is also up for grabs with Cypress' Davenport leading the field by three strokes over Orange Coast's Kim and five strokes over Saddleback's Griffo.

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