Royal golf team still perfect
Highlanders push record to 13-0
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers BUNKER BLAST- Royal High junior Chris Gilbert lifts the ball out of a sand trap during a league match at Tierra Rejada Golf Club.

Royal High senior golfer Shane Blanchard likes life at Wood Ranch Golf Club just the way it is.

Blanchard, along with a number of his Highlander teammates, frequently plays 18 holes at the Simi Valley private club. While on the links, Royal players often see many members of their Marmonte League rival, Westlake High, playing rounds as well.

By winning the league championship the last two years, however, Royal has been able to hold bragging rights at the course.

With an undefeated record of 13-0 overall and 11-0 in league play this year, those rights don't seem to be going anywhere soon.

"When we're at Wood Ranch, it's our team that tends to get complimented on our play a little more," Blanchard said. "It's nice being complimented all the time, and it's something we don't want to have changed."

Another thing that hasn't changed is the stellar play of senior Danny Katz.

Katz, the reigning CIF Individual champion, is averaging 72.9 this season, tops on the squad. Katz said his success in '08 wouldn't have been possible without getting away from the sport during the offseason.

"I took a big break in the summer because I was starting to feel burned out from playing golf so much," Katz said. "I knew, eventually, I would come back, but it was just something I needed to do."

"Once I started playing again in December, it seemed to take a month or so to get my swing back. After that, everything has gone very well. It seems I'm hitting more greens than I ever have."

Katz is one of five Highlanders whose average score is in the 70s.

Senior Kyle Holden is averaging a 74.9, while his younger brother, Bobby, is averaging a 77.8. Blanchard is averaging a 78.4, and Chris Gilbert, a junior transfer from North Carolina, is at 76.2.

Royal head coach Bob Misko said Gilbert has been an excellent addition to a team that was already very good.

"We've been blessed to have (Gilbert) play with us," Misko said. "It's not every day that a player of his caliber winds up in your team's lap."

Royal's No. 6 golfer is Julian Ho. Ho is averaging an 81.6 but has shown potential, as evidenced by his 73 earlier this year against Simi Valley.

"We have a nice balance on this team," Misko said. "It's awful early to say if this is the best team I've ever had, but the last three years is the greatest run we've ever had. The last two years we not only won league titles, but we shot tournament records, too."

Although Royal hasn't lost this season, team members say they don't feel any pressure from the winning streak.

"We just take it one match at a time," Kyle Holden said. "We let everyone else worry about the winning streak and the records. Our coach does a good job keeping us focused."

Another way the team stays relaxed is by way of an award Misko came up with called the Froggie Putts Champion.

According to Misko, the award goes to the person who does a dumb but often hilarious feat to get the team's mind off golf. This year, the champion has been Blanchard.

"One day we went to a restaurant, and (Blanchard) left the car door wide open- with a laptop in the passenger seat," Misko said with a laugh.

"A few hours later, we were waiting for a train, and he just decided to go on this bench and do a pushup. The only problem was that seconds later, the bench collapsed."

While Blanchard is no joke on the links, he doesn't mind a bit of tomfoolery off the course.

"Half the time I just do these stupid things to get a laugh out of my teammates," Blanchard said. "I don't plan these things, but if I see an opening, I'll take it."

Misko said the thing he enjoys most about the Highlanders isn't necessarily their perfect record but instead their perfect work ethic.

"You see that?" Misko asked, while pointing to the putting green. "Our match is done, it's getting chilly, and we still have five people chipping and putting.

"Everyone on our team is always trying to improve. I've always said, 'It's how you do your homework that counts, not your test scores.'"

The team realizes that the league championships, which begin April 22, will decide who takes home the Marmonte title.

"The last couple years we didn't start out so well, and then we really hit our peak in the league championships," Misko said. "So I'm hoping we haven't hit our peak quite yet, because it's still early and a lot can still happen."