The journey for Napa Valley College men's golf team continues at state tournament
Photo: Peyton Alexander is shown for the Napa Valley College men's golf team earlier in the season.
Photos by Marty James
By MARTY JAMES
AMERICAN CANYON – Coach Bob Freschi has a meeting at the start of the year for players in the Napa Valley College men's golf program.
Freschi uses the meeting, in August, to tell everyone that "this is where it begins, our journey."
It's a journey that begins with David Knox, the Storm's assistant coach and a PGA Class A golf professional who is the Director of Instruction at Napa Golf Course, leading the fall program. It's during the fall semester when qualifying rounds for players are held at several courses, including Silverado Resort's North and South Courses, Chardonnay Golf Club & Vineyards, Napa Golf Course, Eagle Vines Golf Club in American Canyon, Yolo Fliers Club in Woodland, Green Valley Country Club in Fairfield, and Hiddenbrooke Golf Club in Vallejo.
"They put in the time and the efforts to make themselves a better overall golfer," Freschi said on Wednesday, prior to a team practice at Chardonnay Golf Club & Vineyards, the Storm's home course. "That's what we strive to do. And then they qualify to get into the spring team."
It's a journey that continues in mid-January, which is the start of Napa Valley's season beginning with dual matches.
"It's a process," said Freschi. "I feel like our team has really improved as the season went on. That's a great testament to these young men that commit every day to being out here at practice and not transferring blame on anybody or the golf course, committing to themselves and one another, and in our program."
Freschi calls his team the "Fab Freshmen."
There's no doubt about it – the all-freshman team for Napa Valley has been fabulous.
The Storm won their third straight Big 8 Conference North Division title.
They have won six tournaments during the season.
They qualified for the California Community College Athletic Association State Championship, May 10 and 11, at SilverRock Resort's Arnold Palmer Classic Course, in La Quinta, CA. It's a two-day, 36-hole event.
The field consists of nine teams – four from Northern California, five from Southern California. Additional individual players from teams that did not qualify are also entered.
"The goal is just to compete every day in practice and just develop and believe in the process of what we're doing," said Freschi. "We talked about having talent. They have as much talent as anybody in the state and it showed. But back in August, they don't know.
"You go through the process and you're like, OK, we are good, and now we have to do certain things that enable us to shoot better scores. And that's what they've been doing."
Playing for Napa Valley are Will Hutton, Lawrence Collins, Ian Hall, Dominic Taverrite, Peyton Alexander, Joshua Hull and Charles Larson.
Taverrite and Alexander are redshirt freshmen who have been in the NVC program for two years.
"February was kind of a tough month, kind of getting the rust off of winter break," said Taverrite. "We've kind of all had our ebbs and flows. All of us have played solid. But I think, really, these last 3, 4, 5 weeks, every guy on this team is slowly trending toward consistent low scores. And if all of us can put together two consistent rounds, who knows. We could be standing on the podium."
The Storm advanced to the state tournament by taking second place at the 3C2A-North Regional Championships at Bayonet Golf Course, May 3-4, in Seaside (Monterey County).
Napa Valley posted team scores of 305 in the first round and 311 in the second round for a 616 two-day total.
"We know we're a state-caliber team. It means everything," said Taverrite. "Every guy on this team, I've seen what they're capable of doing. I've never been around a team where we're so collective. When we step on the first tee, it's like we're here to beat the other team. We're so involved in our process and our routine. I just feel like we can definitely contend with not just the teams from up here, but definitely the teams from down south.
"Every guy on this team is resilient. I've never been around a group who is just focused on one goal and just trusting in the process."
There was an eight-team field for the 3C2A-North Regional Championships, played at the par-72, 7,024-yard Bayonet Golf Course. It was a two-day, 36-hole event, with the top-4 teams and six additional individuals advancing to state.
"We've all worked really hard for this," said Hull. "We're always out here practicing, always getting extra practice in – after practice, before practice.
"We know we just need to play our game and play well. We know what's at stake. We really just have bonded over these past few months, and definitely have huge team chemistry."
Hutton (75-73 – 148) was named to the All-Northern California team after finishing second. He lost on the eighth hole of a sudden-death playoff to Leo Eisner of Reedley College.
Also, placing for Napa Valley:
* Collins, 12th (75-82 – 157).
* Hull, 14th (81-77 – 158).
* Taverrite, 17th (80-79 – 159).
* Alexander, 18th (75-84 – 159).
* Hall, 31st (82-84 – 166).
"I think at NorCals, we felt the pressure," said Taverrite. "I think now for states, it's like, let's just go play. We made it as far as we can. We're just grateful for the opportunity. Hole by hole, round by round, give it our best effort."
Napa Valley was awarded the second-place team trophy and the players were presented with individual silver medals at the NorCal tournament.
"I think Bayonet was the hardest tournament course I've ever played," said Collins. "The course was playing super difficult. I think that is good in a way, that it prepares us for states.
"All we can do is do our best and just have a good time and see how we place amongst the rest of the colleges. It's been a great season."
SilverRock Resort's Arnold Palmer Classic Course is a par-72, 7,239-yard layout.
Tee times will be off hole No. 2 starting at 8 a.m. both days.
According to its website, www.silverrock.org: "SilverRock Resort's Arnold Palmer Classic Course is a challenging 7,239 yards, sprawling over 200 acres with massive native bunkers and stunning water features."
SilverRock, according to its website, is "Set against the backdrop and natural beauty of the Santa Rosa Mountains."
Reedley College (290-305 – 595) won the NorCal team title.
Also, advancing was Sierra College-Rocklin (308-313 – 621), which finished third, and San Joaquin Delta College-Stockton (314-317 – 631), which finished fourth.
Advancing to state from the Southern California Regional, which was 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.
"I think we're ready. We're all excited for it. I think we're a pretty consistent team. So, hopefully the team is in a good spot and feeling confident going into Day 1," said Hutton. "Just got to stay to your routine, keep practicing, just staying confident in your own game. Just do what you can when you're there in the moment."
Hutton, Collins and Hall and were each named All-Big 8 Conference for Napa Valley, Freschi announced.
It's a journey that now continues one last week, with NVC leaving for La Quinta on Friday. The Storm has made great strides in the game since a season-opening dual match in early February against Modesto Junior College at Pheasant Run Golf Club in Chowchilla (Madera County).
The Storm will have a practice round on Saturday at SilverRock.
"I'm just so fired up for them, to see them compete for a state championship," said Freschi. "They have a good time playing the game of golf. They have a passion for it. They compete with one another, and that's how you get better. On an everyday practice, you're teeing it up to win."
Weather forecast
The weather forecast, according to www.accuweather.com, calls for temperatures in the triple-digits in La Quinta.
The high on Sunday, according to AccuWeather, will be 104.
The high on Monday, according to AccuWeather, will be 105.
* 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.