Royal golf team goes back-to-back
Highlanders win CIF-SS Northern Team Divisional
By Stephen Dorman sdorman@theacorn.com

Acorn File Photo MARKSMAN- Matt Hoffenberg helped lead Royal past Oaks Christian and Westlake.

On Monday afternoon at Soule Park Golf Course in Ojai, Royal High edged out Oaks Christian and Westlake to capture first place in the CIF-Southern Section Northern Team Divisional.

The Highlanders won the 19team tournament by shooting a 373. Oaks Christian finished second with a 380. Westlake was third at 381. Simi Valley earned sixth-place honors by posting a score of 387.

Leading the way for RHS were Matt Hoffenberg (70), Danny Katz (71), Paul Misko (74), Kyle Holden (76) and Matt Minae (82).

"Oddly enough it wasn't really one of our best rounds," Royal head coach Bob Misko said. "It was good, I'm not saying it wasn't, but I think we can do better.

"We're still pleased as punch, though. This year we had everybody back except our No. 5 guy, so the expectations from everyone were pretty high."

Misko, whose team won the Central Coast Division a year ago before changing divisions for this season's tournament, said the putting greens in Ojai were tough on all the golfers, and that may have attributed to higher than normal scores.

"My kids were saying that the greens got to everybody in the long run," Misko said.

Both Royal and Oaks Christian advanced to the CIF Team Finals yesterday at Mission Lakes Country Club in Desert Hot Springs. Results from the tournament weren't available prior to press time.

A year ago the Highlanders finished ninth out of 16 teams at the finals.

Royal was the Marmonte League's regularseason champion. Simi Valley finished in second place.

RHS broke the all-time league record for lowest cumulative score throughout the year, Misko said.

"We shot 1,452," he said. "This was the 33rd year of league play and that's the new record."