Hancock Golfers Fall Short in Qualifying for State Championships

(Poway, CA) Allan Hancock College freshman Alejandro Nicolini fell four shots shy of qualifying for the Men's Golf State Championships with an eight-over 152 during the 36-hole Southern California Championships on Monday at the StoneRidge Country Club in Poway. 

Western State Conference champion Canyons won the team competition with a three-over par 723 during the 36-hole tournament. Riverside finished second, 15 shots behind at 738. Santa Barbara finished fourth with a 751.

The top two squads in the 10-team field qualified for State. The top 12 individuals, not on the two qualifying teams, also advanced to the State Championships.  

Nicolini carded a 74 and 78 for a total of 152. Freshman Triston Ioppini, an Atascadero High School graduate, fired rounds of 73 and 86 for a 159, falling 11-shots off the cut line. St. Joseph High product Shawn Brackett finished with a 78 and 79 for a 157. They were the only three Bulldogs to compete in the SoCal Championships.

Canyons' Sydney Wolf earned medalist honors with two rounds of four-under 68 for a total of 136. SBCC's Felix Mory came in second overall with a 67-71, 138, while the Vaqueros' Blake McPherson finished third in the individual standings with a 70-73, 143. The cut line to qualify for state was a four-over 148.

The Bulldogs finished tied with Bakersfield for fourth place out of eight teams in the Western State Conference standings behind Canyons, Santa Barbara and Ventura.  

The State Championships are next Monday, May 12, at the Victoria Country Club in Riverside.