A week after sub-par scores had forced Oakdale High’s boys golf team to surrender a Valley Oak League title to an East Union team they had twice defeated, the Mustangs fired back with a bigger and better title by wining the blue banner and a Division IV championship on Monday at the Brookside Country Club in Stockton.
Gusty winds and fast greens couldn’t stop Oakdale from landing a 421-stroke combined team score, well ahead of second place Vista del Lago (436), Sonora (437) and East Union (441).
The D-IV championship has ensured a team qualification to the Masters Championships on May 16 at The Reserve at Spanos Park in Stockton.
“It definitely felt good to see kids smiling after they got some good rounds under their belts,” Oakdale coach Lee McGhee said on Monday. “It’s nice to move the whole team on to the next round.”
Ian Stogdell shot a 76, Ryan Jones a 78, Reid Souza an 88, Connor Gust an 89 and Isaac Rellamas a 90. Michael Tripp had a respectable sixth man score at 93.
The win worked well to mend Mustang wounds after the Oakdale squad had faltered to finish third to East Union and Sonora at the VOL finals on May 3. Since East Union was two places ahead of the Mustangs, they stole the conference championship and set the table for an exciting rematch in Stockton.
Rellamas shot an impressive 76 at the league championship to match the first place score. Stogdell wasn’t far behind at 81, while Gust (92), Souza (93) Tripp (96) and Jones (97) struggled in the 90s.
Jonamar Jacinto contributed to this report.