Tight-knit NVC women's golf heads to 3C2A State Championships
Photos: Napa Valley College's Libby Webb was named to the All-Big 8 Conference team and finished in 13th place at the Northern California Regional Championships.
Photos by Marty James
By MARTY JAMES
AMERICAN CANYON – Hazel Zastrow called it a "proud moment," standing with her teammates on the Napa Valley College women's golf team as photos were being taken following the Storm's third-place finish at the 2025 California Community College Athletic Association-Northern California Regional Championships in Madera on Monday.
They were together for a team photo, with Zastrow holding on to the trophy, at Madera Golf and Country Club. It was a very emotional time, but there were also smiles all the way around – with the Storm knowing that they had secured a spot in the season-ending 3C2A State Championships, Nov. 16 and 17, at the River Course at Alisal, in Solvang (Santa Barbara County).
"It feels really nice to know that we have something to show for our efforts," Zastrow, a sophomore, said at Napa Valley's final practice session of the fall 2025 season, on Wednesday at Chardonnay Golf Club & Vineyards, the team's home course.
Napa Valley is one of four teams from Northern California that qualified to play in the state championships. It marks the Storm's second straight appearance at state.
Napa Valley finished in third place during the Big 8 Conference season.
"It was emotional post-round, because we kind of limped in there at the end and we weren't quite sure. And then we got emotional tears when we found out that we came in third," Storm coach Bob Freschi said.
It's a very tight-knit and close NVC team – three freshmen and three sophomores – who are connected by all the work that they put into golf, their commitment to the game, the challenges that they take on at all the different courses during the season.
"We put in all this hard work, and now we have something to show for it," said Libby Webb, a sophomore. "It was super emotional."
Napa Valley posted rounds of 337 on Sunday and 360 on Monday for a 697 total at the two-day, 36-hole NorCal event. Madera Golf and Country Club is a par-73, 5,520-yard layout.
Awards were presented to the top-3 teams. The top-6 individual finishers earned All-NorCal honors.
"We've come a long way, and we've been consistently kind of getting that third place spot, which feels really good," said Webb. "I've definitely seen everyone's scores get lower. We just have a great bond. It's super awesome."
Webb and Kylee Scroggs, a freshman, who were each named to the All-Big 8 Conference team, were the Storm's top placers at NorCals.
Webb shot 82-83 – 165 for a 13th-place finish. Scroggs shot 80-88 – 168 for a 14th-place finish
"I'm just going to embrace it," Webb said, looking ahead to the state championships. "I think having that mindset will help us play better and make the most of that last week."
Also, placing at NorCals for Napa Valley:
* Hazel Zastrow, 19th-place, 86-93 – 179.
* Hanna Ruggles, 24th place, 89-99 – 188.
* Rylie Olmo, tied for 27th place, 97-97 – 194.
* Loret Osorio, tied for 30th place, 100-96 – 196.
"It's just a nice feeling to know that we are going to continue," said Ruggles, a sophomore. "As a team, we have such a tight bond. We all went through this together.
"I really like the experience. I'll hold a lot of memories from these two seasons."
Olmo and Osorio are freshmen.
Playing in the NVC program has been a great experience, said Zastrow.
"It's been a ton of fun. I wouldn't trade it for the world," Zastrow said. "It's really nice that I've grown as a person and grown as a golfer as well. I've gotten a lot better.
"We have a lot of fun on the golf course and on the van rides."
The top-4 teams and six individuals who are not on those teams advance from NorCals to the State Championships.
Reedley College took first place, posting rounds of 320 and 307 for a 627 total.
Modesto Junior College took second place, shooting 330-314 – 644.
Sierra College-Rocklin was fourth, posting team scores of 338 and 373 for a 711 total.
The team field also had Sacramento City College (352-373 – 725), San Joaquin Delta College-Stockton (373-372 – 745), and Taft College (400-402 – 802).
The individual low medalist was Faith Hamstreet of Taft. Hamstreet shot 73-72 – 145.
Placing second was Sydney Streeter of Modesto, 76-71 – 147.
NVC played at the 2025 3C2A Women's State Preview, a two-day, 36-hole event, Oct. 12-13, at the River Course at the Alisal, in Solvang (Santa Barbara County), finishing in eighth place. There was a field of 11 teams.
The River Course at the Alisal is a par-72, 5,710-yard layout.
The state championships are a two-day, 36-hole event.
Sunday's first round is a shotgun start, at 11:30 to 11:45 a.m.
Monday's second round has tee times off No. 1 starting at 7:45 a.m.
"It's a little bit longer than we're used to. So, we're going to be hitting longer irons and hybrids into the greens. That is going to be a challenge for us," said Freschi.
"We have got to be on point with our short game around the greens. We'll try to play away from the bunkers and the water and eliminate those big numbers, and just play good, smart golf."
Five teams advanced to the state championships from the Southern California Regional Championships, played Nov. 9-10 at Olivas Links, in Ventura.
Orange Coast College-Costa Mesa won (323-315 – 638).
Taking second was Mt. San Antonio College-Walnut (327-320 – 647).
Also advancing is College of the Desert-Palm Desert, Santa Barbara City College and Allan Hancock College-Santa Maria.
* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016, the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.