Merced Union High School District

The El Capitan High girls golf team all signed a pink onesie that they gifted Gauchos coach Michael Davenport when he and his wife welcomed their newborn daughter recently. With five seniors who have been playing on the team since they were freshmen, the El Capitan team is more like a family than a normal high school team. “That act of kindness just means so much to me as a coach,” Davenport said. “It's a truly special group of kids.” Davenport says his golfers were just as excited as he was when his daughter was born.

 

The Gauchos are as talented as they are sweet, storming out to a 4-0 record early in Central California Conference play in their quest to three consecutive CCC championships. On Monday they added six more points to their total by winning the CCC Mid-Season Tournament at the Merced Golf & Country Club. “We are very motivated to win league again this year,” Davenport said.  “Two seasons ago we were co-champs, in a three-way tie for the league title with Atwater and Buhach.  Last year we went undefeated in league and won outright which was a huge success.  We're looking to go undefeated again and get our third CCC title as a group.”

 

The Gauchos dominated on Monday, winning the event by 29 strokes by placing four golfers in the top six. Leading the way was senior Esther Sheu, who shot a 78. “Esther is just too dominant; it's difficult to put it into words,” Davenport said. “She's been league MVP all three years of high school and she'll get it again this year easily.  No other player in the league has ever come even close to matching her season performances.  Esther has moved on even past Masters to the NorCal State semifinal tournament in Berkeley each of the past three years, even playing one year with seniors who were committed to Cal-Berkeley and UCLA, and she beat both of them in that tournament.  She is on paper one of the top golfers in the entire state.”

 

El Capitan senior Mady Dietz finished with a round of 91 for third overall. Davenport says Dietz has raised her golf game even higher this year, despite also playing flag football, basketball, track and participating in FFA. “(Esther and Mady) are both such great players and they set the tone for the match right from the first tee shots in front of all the other players,” Davenport said.  “Mady has become a truly excellent player this year, even putting a little bit of pressure on Esther sometimes which is a fantastic thing to see.” 

 

It’s not just Sheu and Dietz as El Capitan’s Payton Zeller carded a 99 and Lucca Jorgenson finished with a 102 to both also finish in the top six overall. Buhach Colony finished second as a team with 514 points, led by Amanda Englert’s 84 and Jayden Cardoso’s 100.

 

The Gauchos have goals this season that go beyond a three-peat in the CCC. They finished just 11 strokes shy of qualifying for the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Championship as a team last year. “We always knew we were good and we play very well in our league, but we sort of didn't know that we could compete so well at the divisional level in the section,” Davenport said.  “This season each player from the playoff team has gotten better and while we don't really talk about playoffs that much, we all know that making it to Masters as a team would be the perfect dream ending for these seniors who have dedicated so much time into golf throughout their entire high school career.”

 

Boys Water Polo

El Capitan 9, Buhach Colony 7 – Cobly Schanze scored five goals and recorded five steals to lead the Gauchos to a victory in the CCC opener for both teams. Jack Nutcher turned away seven shots in the cage for El Capitan, which improved to 9-4 overall.

 

Atwater 18, Golden Valley 7 – Levi Bibby, Grant Williamson and Kiernan Wilson all scored four goals as the Falcons (7-7, 1-0 CCC) rolled past the Cougars. Zayne Zamaripa came away with seven steals with Bibby and Wilson both recording six steals. Mathias Cole blocked three shots in the cage for Atwater. Caleb Parker scored five goals to lead Golden Valley.

 

Girls Water Polo

El Capitan 16, Buhach Colony 4 – Brooklyn Ramsey and Alex Martinez both scored five goals to lead the Gauchos to a win. Ramsey and Martinez also both recorded two assists and six steals in the game. Sloane Dingeldein scored two goals and Grace Phillips added six saves and four assists as the Gauchos goalie. 

 

Buhach Colony was led by Amada Medina’s three goals and Kodie Stevens’ nine saves and four steals. 

 

Atwater 14, Golden Valley 6 – The Cougars dropped their CCC opener despite five goals from Jakobe Garcia. Courtney Imler recorded 11 saves for Golden Valley.

Shawn Jansen is the MUHSD Program Manager Digital Media. He can be reached at Sjansen@muhsd.org.