High School Roundup: CdM’s Matsuoka advances

Amy Matsuoka is a shy and quiet type. The Corona del Mar High freshman is not one to speak much.

This season, she is just letting her play do all the talking on the golf course.

Matsuoka made quite the statement Thursday when she shot seven-over-par 79 to finish tied for 27th at the CIF Southern Section Individual Final to qualify for next week’s CIF Regional State Qualifier.

She made three birdies on the challenging course at Western Hills Golf & Country Club in Chino Hills.

“I was pretty excited,” Matsuoka said of her reaction upon learning that she had made the cut to extend her season.

Matsuoka, who had never played Western Hills before, tied with seven others and was among the 33 who made the cut, which was 80. Matsuoka, who finished third in the Pacific Coast League, was the league’s lone qualifier.

Newport Harbor freshman Grace Ferrell shot 88 and Estancia High senior Cassie Stevenson finished with an 89.

Diamond Bar’s Bethany Wu’s won the section final with a 69. Esther Lee of Los Alamitos was second with 71 and was the only other girl to shoot under par on the long course.

“They played from the silver tees, which made the course a lot more difficult,” CdM Coach Mike Starkweather said. “That added about 400 yards to the course. For Amy, who is a freshman and not very large, that made it difficult to get to the greens. I was very proud of Amy.”

Matsuoka said qualifying for the CIF Regional State Qualifier ranks very high on her list of accomplishments. She said she plans to celebrate with her family during a dinner outing this weekend. Then it’s back to work.

She will compete Nov. 8 at The Golf Club at Rancho California in Murrieta. Matsuoka has played the course before and remembers it being just as difficult as Western Hills.

She will be vying to advance to the CIF State Championship at Red Hill Country Club in Rancho Cucamonga Nov. 13.

The top nine individual competitors from the Southern California Regional in Murrieta, not on any of the top three teams, will advance to the CIF State Championship.

— Steve Virgen

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GIRLS’ TENNIS

Peninsula 12, Corona del Mar 6

ROLLING HILLS ESTATES — The Sea Kings’ season ended after losing to the No. 4-seeded team in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs Thursday.

Senior Sophia Chen and freshman Siena Sharf won two out of three doubles sets for CdM (16-6), which finished second in the Pacific Coast League.

Lauren Thaxter, the Sea Kings’ No. 1 singles player, earned first-team all-league honors in singles and finished with a 27-5 record. CdM’s No. 2 singles player Olivia Dajee received second-team all-league recognition and finished with a 42-18 record. In doubles, six CdM players were on the all-league second team, including Chen, Kenzie Purcifull, Kimmia Naaseh, Riley Gerdau, Taylor Fogarty and Sharf.

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Division 1 playoffs

Newport Harbor (15-5) will play host to No. 2-seeded Dana Hills in a second-round match Friday at 2 p.m.

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Division 2 playoffs

Sage Hill (9-8) will play host to Westridge of Pasadena in a second-round match Friday at 2 p.m. at The Tennis Club Newport Beach.