NVC men's golf second at North Regional, advances to 3C2A state tournament

Photo: The Napa Valley College men's golf team, with the second-place award, from left, Ian Hall, Dominic Taverrite, Joshua Hull, Will Hutton, Lawrence Collins, Peyton Alexander, Charles Larson.

Courtesy photo

 

By MARTY JAMES

martyjames.sports@gmail.com

The Napa Valley College men's golf team will end its 2026 spring season by playing in the California Community College Athletic Association State Championships in La Quinta, CA.

By placing second on Monday at the 3C2A-North Regional Championships at Bayonet Golf Course, in Seaside (Monterey County), the Storm secured a spot in the field at the state tournament, May 10-11.

Napa Valley posted team scores of 305 on Sunday, May 3 and 311 on Monday, May 4 for a 616 two-day total.

The Storm's Will Hutton tied for first place individually at the end of regulation. He lost on the eighth hole of a sudden-death playoff to Leo Eisner of Reedley College. In taking second place, Hutton was named to the All-Northern California team.

The 3C2A-North Regional Championships, played at the par-72, 7,024-yard Bayonet Golf Course, had an eight-team field. It was a two-day, 36-hole event, qualifying the top-4 teams and six additional individuals not from those teams for the state tournament, to be played at SilverRock Resort, at La Quinta.

The 3C2A state tournament will be played at SilverRock Resort's Arnold Palmer Classic Course.

"Bayonet was playing a beast," Storm coach Bob Freschi said. "We just grinded one out, as they say, and it was a pleasure to watch. So happy and fired up for the guys. Now they get to play for a state championship. Anything could happen down there."

Hutton led Napa Valley, posting rounds of 75 and 73 for a 148 total.

Lawrence Collins was 12th, posting scores of 75 and 82 for a 157 total.

Josh Hull was 14th, posting rounds of 81 and 77 for a 158 total.

Dominic Taverrite was 17th, posting scores of 80 and 79 for a 159 total.

Peyton Alexander finished 18th, with rounds of 75 and 84 for a 159 total.

Ian Hall was 31st, with rounds of 82 and 84 for a 166 total.

"Each season, we want to win our conference, and then win NorCals and win a state championship," said Freschi. "We were close for the NorCals. We're going to try like heck to win a state championship."

Napa Valley was awarded the second-place trophy.

NVC players were also presented with individual silver medals.

"We hung in there. We did what we had to do to nail down second place," said Freschi. "First place was within reach.

"It's just a tough golf course. It plays long. The wind is swirling, the weather changes. The greens are firm. It plays longer than what the numbers show. Tough pin placements Sunday, Monday. They let the rough go a little bit. The greens were rolling fast. It's a true testament of a Northern California championship."

Reedley College won the NorCal team title, posting rounds of 290 and 305 for a 595 total.

Sierra College-Rocklin was third, 308-313 – 621.

San Joaquin Delta College-Stockton was fourth, 314-317 – 631.

Modesto Junior College was fifth, 321-319 – 640.

San Jose City College was sixth, 319-326 – 645.

Fresno City College was seventh, 317-336 – 653.

Taft College was eighth, 354-357 – 711.

Also, named to the All-Northern California team was Reedley's Marco Woehler (72-76 – 148), Leo Eisner (74-74 – 148), Julian Rombouts (71-77 – 148) and Dante Damico (74-78 – 152), and Sierra's Adrian Marquez (74-78 – 152).

Hutton went to a sudden-death playoff with Reedley's Leo Eisner, Marco Woehler and Julian Rombouts. They were all tied for first place at the end of regulation play.

Hutton and Eisner advanced in the playoff by making pars on the first hole. The other two players were eliminated after making bogeys.

Hutton and Eisner proceeded to play seven more holes. Eisner won it on the eighth hole of the playoff.

"It was such a thrilling sudden death. Great shots, great putts, great chips," said Freschi. "So proud of Will. It was so much fun because a lot of our fans that were down there watched. Other teams and other players came and followed the group. A great environment."

Advancing to state from the Southern California Regional, played at Olivas Links, in Ventura, was College of the Desert-Palm Desert, College of the Canyons-Santa Clarita, Ventura College, Orange Coast College-Costa Mesa and Victor Valley College-Victorville.

"We never want to get too far ahead of ourselves, as a coach or a player or as a program," said Freschi. "But ultimately, that's what we want to play for, is a state championship. We took care of conference play, and then the NorCals. And now, we're playing for the state championship. I'm just really fired up for the players, because they earned it.

"They really committed to be the best they can be on an everyday basis. That's what I demand of them, to be their best at our practice, and to have fun and enjoy the process. Don't worry about your scores and just enjoy because it goes so fast. I want them to really have a passion for the game and love it and play the game for nothing else but just the joy of playing golf."

The Storm won the Big 8 Conference's North Division title for the third year in a row.

They have won six tournaments during the season.

* 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.