Granite Bay High School’s prolific varsity girls golf team is swinging on site, preparing for the CIF State High School Girls Golf Championship just hours away.
They tee off at Poppy Hills Golf Course on Nov. 15 for another chance at school history.
To qualify for the state championship, GBHS’s varsity girls golf team won the Sierra Foothill League Championship and NorCals. They came in second at Masters to season rival Pleasant Grove High School.
Three freshmen made their debut on the girls varsity golf team this year.
“I feel that the season has been going smoothly and our team is really connecting. There’s a big relationship we all have and I wouldn’t have it any other way. All the girls whether JV or varsity are great people and role models,” freshman Khloe Chao said.
The team won both SFL tournaments this year for varsity and junior varsity by a wide margin against various schools like Rocklin High School.. This was their ninth straight SFL league title.
“I think our first SFL was the biggest (win), because I think everybody played solid rounds and it was our first SFL win of the season,” freshman Serene Kim said.
At Masters, Tavia Burgess led the field, scoring a team best 69 and 2nd best for the tournament.
Other notable scores were senior Lauren Pierce and freshman Sakura Watanabe both scoring a 75. The total score for the team was 377.
“The course we’re playing at the Masters is pretty windy and there are a few water hazards too. All I’m trying to do is play my shots safe and instead be more aggressive with my short game,” sophomore Emerson Kim said, when asked about what her game plan is when playing during tournaments.
After this placement at the Masters, the girls qualified and competed at the Norcal tournament. At this tournament the team finished first place to qualify for the state tournament.
Burgess again had the best score that day with a 76, while Pierce and Watanabe shot a 78. The total score for the team was 395.
“Winning Norcal’s was really cool because we have qualified for everything and were playing well but we kept falling short of Oak Ridge and to beat them at that tournament with super difficult conditions felt super well deserved,” senior Lauren Pierce said.
Tomorrow’s state championship will be a test for the team. The team won this tournament for the first time in 2021: Burgess, Peterson and Pierce were all part of the team then.
They were also apart of the impressive 16 stroke victory that won states that year. With a team score of 371, Burgess and Pierce contributed to a state championship record that has yet to be broken.
This year they will be competing against five other schools including Oak Ridge High School. Last year the Santa Margarita Eagles won states.
Tomorrow the Grizzlies will tee it up to make another run at their old record- and the chance to set a new one.
