Coyotes third in CCAA Golf Tournament

PASO ROBLES – Senior Dane Bagnell and junior Micah Burke both shot sub-par rounds Tuesday as Cal State San Bernardino finished third in the 10^th annual California Collegiate Athletic Association Men’s Golf Championship at Hunter Ranch Golf Club.

Bagnell shot his lowest round of the season, a four-under-par 68, to wind up in a tie for 11^th place among the 35 individuals in the event with a 54-hole total of 219, three over par for the tournament.

Burke came in with a three-under par 69 to finish on the 6,741-yard, par-72 course to tie for fourth place, 11 shots back of tournament medalist Eric Justesen of Cal State Stanislaus who lapped the field with a 14-under-par total of 202, closing with a five-under 67 after shooting 65 and 70 on Monday.

Both Burke and Webster were named to the all-CCAA first team selected by the conference coaches.

As expected Sonoma State led wire-to-wire for its first-ever CCAA championship in men’s golf  with an aggregate 54-hole total of 858, finishing four shots ahead of 2007 champion Cal State Stanislaus (862) and 11 shots ahead of the Coyotes (869).

Sonoma State’s Jarin Todd, who won three tournaments this year and had the lowest stroke average in the CCAA at 70.5, was named the CCAA’s player of the year.

His coach, Val Verhunce, was named CCAA coach of the year.

            The Seawolves will host the NCAA West-Northwest Super Regional on May 5-7 at Adobe Creek Golf Course in Petaluma.

            With its third-place finish, Cal State San Bernardino, ranked No. 8 in the region entering the tournament, most likely reserved a tee time for the regional where they are the defending West champions. The top eight teams and five individuals from non-qualifying teams advance to the regional.

            It takes a team to post an aggregate score and senior Bill Clayton stepped up when it counted, shooting a two-over-par 74 that enabled the Coyotes to post their low team round of the tournament – 284.

            Sophomore Gene Webster, tied for second place in the event after 36 holes with a four-under-par total of 140 on rounds of  69 and 71 on Monday, skied to a 79 on Tuesday and finished in a tie with Bagnell in 11^th spot at 219.

            Sophomore Joe Alldis improved his position each round, starting with a 76 on Monday morning, shooting 74 in the afternoon and posting a one-over 73 to help the Coyotes distance themselves from the fourth-place finisher, Cal State Monterey Bay. The Otters were 12 shots in back of CSUSB in fourth spot at 881.

            Four Coyotes finished in the top 20 while all five members of Sonoma State were in the top 16 and ties. The Seawolves are ranked No. 1 in the West.

            Hunter Ranch as been Justesen’s personal playground in three of the last four CCAA tournaments.  He won CCAA championship medalist honors for the third time in four years. He finished first in 2005 at 11 under over the same course while playing for Cal State Monterey Bay, then a provisional CCAA member,  and won it in 2007 competing for Stanislaus, also at 11 under. He has played nine rounds at Hunter Ranch at 36 under par.

            CSUSB has finished second or third in three of the last four CCAA tournaments.

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            2008 CCAA All-CONFERENCE TEAM

            Micah Burke (CSUSB), Gene Webster (CSUSB), Jarin Todd (Sonoma St.), Kyle Hopkins (Sonoma St.), Eric Justesen (CS Stanislaus), Lucas Delgado (Chico St.), John Jackson (CS Monterey Bay); Jacob O’Keefe (Sonoma St.); Andy Moren (CS Stanislaus); Ryan Trask (Chico St.).

            MVP – Jarin Todd (Sonoma St).

            Freshman of Year – Patrick Bauer (Sonoma St.)

            Newcomer of Year – Lucas Delgado (Chico St.)

            Coach of Year – Val Verhunce (Sonoma St.)

            2008 CCAA MEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

                  @ Hunter Ranch Golf Club in Paso Robles

TEAM: 1. Sonoma State – 858; 2. CS Stanislaus – 862; 3. COYOTES – 869; 4. CS Monterey Bay – 881; 5. Chico State – 884; 6. UC San Diego – 891; 7. CS Dominguez Hills – 930.

INDIVIDUALS: 1. Eric Justesen (Stanislaus) 70-65-67 – 202; 2. Jarin Todd (Sonoma St.) – 70-72-68 – 210; 3. John Jackson (CS Monterey Bay) 71-69-72 – 212; 4. (tie) Micah Burke (CSUSB) 71-73-69 – 213; Jason McHargue (CS Stanislaus) 75-72-66 – 213.

COYOTE CARDS: 4. Micah Burke (71-73-69 – 213); 11. (tie) Gene Webster (69-71-79 – 219) and Dane Bagnell (76-75-68 – 219); 16. Joe Alldis (76-74-73 – 223);

30. Bill Clayton (81-79-74 – 234).