Amador Valley outmatched by Foothill Amador Valley outmatched by Foothill (September 21, 2001)

Castlewood course a helpful home field advantage for Falcons
by Jeff Williams

Despite having home courses less than 2 miles apart, Amador Valley's girls golf team fell 3-1 in match play against Foothill on Sept. 18.

Playing at Foothill's home course, Castlewood Country Club's upper course, the Dons were able to win the No. 2 seed pairing between Amador senior Jenny Hilke and Foothill junior Kelly Tilton, who went two up. The Dons, however, suffered reverses when Foothill junior Jill Womble defeated Amador senior Candice Palmer 3 and 2, and also when Amador's Stephanie Chinn and Michell DeLong lost to Jenny Nelson and Melody Chee of Foothill.

The Don's players, some of whom expressed an unfamiliarity with the course, seemingly had trouble getting the ball to lay down for the better shots. The Falcons, meanwhile, played with the adeptness of an all-veteran team that has remained for the most part intact from last season.

Palmer and Hilke also said that they were sore from the previous day when they attended Amador Valley's day-long senior class picnic at Manteca Waterslide Park.

"The team is basically the same as last year," said Foothill girls golf coach George Papazian. "The only player who left the team was Megan Keegan."

With this win over its cross-town competitor, Foothill advances its undefeated record to 6-0, with a 2-0 EBAL record. Following the loss, Amador moves to a 0-1 EBAL record and will play Mission San Jose at its home course of Ruby Hill Country Club on Sept. 25.

The Foothill golf team also plays again at Castlewood on Sept. 25. The Falcons will face Granada, which leads the league 4-0.