The562’s coverage of Long Beach golf for the 2024 season is sponsored from Dan and Desiree Gooch.
Wilson has been the dominant force of Moore League girls’ golf since its inception as a league sport in 2002.
The Bruins have been crowned outright league champions all but twice—Poly won outright in 2008 and tied with Wilson in 2011—and are seeking their 16th consecutive Moore League title this year.
However, a plethora of newcomers across some of the Moore League’s top programs could set the stage for a highly competitive 2024 campaign across Long Beach.
Wilson
As a program with a formidable pedigree, there’s hardly a year where the Bruins aren’t favorites to win the Moore League. This season is no different, although a few critical losses leave Wilson with holes to fill.
Bruins co-captains Charlotte White and Cate Thompson are both returners who are primed for prolific campaigns.
“They’re probably the two hardest workers in the program,” said Wilson coach Paul Henry. “It’s helpful to have kids who have a little bit of experience with varsity, so they can communicate about how to carry forward the traditions of the program.”
Ellen Baldwin and Jocelyn Martinez-Rosales both return with all-league nods from the 2023 campaign. Henry also tipped Amelia Nulty and Lucy Smith to have breakout seasons.
“There’s just no shortcuts for building experience with the team,” Henry said. “If we take care of the process, the results will eventually take care of themselves. I’m very encouraged about where we’re going, it’s just going to be a time consuming process.”
Millikan
The Rams finished second in the Moore League last season as their veteran-heavy squad ultimately fell two matches short of the Bruins.
There are plenty of new faces this time around though, as coach Robert Tomlin said his Rams only have two varsity returners.
With three freshmen and two sophomores expected to score in Millikan’s top seven, junior Hailey Stoskopf–a First Team All-Moore League selection last year–is set to be a leader for the Rams both on and off the course. Isabel Lopez slots in as Millikan’s other varsity returner. The junior received Second Team All-Moore League accolades in 2023.
To prepare his young squad for the league campaign, Tomlin has scheduled preseason matchups against a handful of SoCal’s strongest programs.
“It’s always been my philosophy that if you play good teams it makes your team better in the long run,” said Tomlin, who specifically noted the importance of stiff competition for his underclassmen.
Long Beach Poly
Like their Moore League counterparts, the Jackrabbits are also expecting some growing pains as they try to retool with a talented, but young roster.
Poly graduated its two lowest scorers from last season–All-League honorees Kate Montemayor and Madison Williams–but Jackrabbits coach Bill Dodge feels good about the improvement he’s seen amongst his underclassmen.
Dodge specifically highlighted his sophomore class, which features the promising trio of Gabrielle Gales, Abigail Hall, and Kara Teter. All three will likely be consistent low scorers for Poly this season.
“I’m just looking for them to compete,” Dodge said. “Some of these girls that we’re playing against are really good, and I just want these girls not to focus so much on those players, but just focus on their [own] betterment.”
Lakewood
A growing Lakewood squad has coach Spencer McDaniel excited about the 2023 season.
McDaniel said that he’s expecting junior Sydney Adams to be one of the Lancers’ most reliable scorers throughout the campaign. Adams, along with Lakewood’s other returners, will also play a vital leadership role within the young program.
While the Lancers are seeking success on the course, McDaniel is hopeful that his girls will find opportunities to play beyond high school.
“I like them playing with good players because it gets them an idea of … what they can do with this game,” McDaniel said. “There’s a lot of room for girls to grow in this game. Outside of school, girls can go almost anywhere if they’re playing really good golf.”
Cabrillo
The Jaguars have made phenomenal strides over the past few years under head coach Blake Dorman and that trend has continued into this young season.
“This is the first year where I’ve been able to start golf [during the summer],” Dorman said. “A lot of times I don’t have enough girls for a team until school starts. … I had a practice on August 1st this year … and we had six girls there. Those are the kinds of things that … make me feel like we’re headed down the right path.”
Cabrillo graduated two of its lowest scorers last season in Anaisa Maestas and Malena Maestas–both were all-league selections–but Dorman is confident in his veterans.
Junior captain Dayanara Martinez, and fellow returners Erica Rojas, Delilah Frausto, and Kimberly Ramirez-Lara will all play critical roles for the Jaguars.
St. Anthony
The Saints have claimed three consecutive undefeated Del Rey League championships, and coach Robert Klenk’s squad is primed to add a fourth to that tally thanks to a plethora of returners.
“This is the strongest team I’ve coached in my five years at St. Anthony,” Klenk said. “Their fundamentals have improved immensely this year due to all of the offseason workouts [and] tournaments.”
Leading the way for the Saints will be senior captain Victoria Valenzuela. The four-year varsity scorer secured her second consecutive win at the Long Beach Golf Festival Crosby Junior Golf Invitational, in early August. Valenzuela has also won back-to-back Del Rey League MVP awards.
Jacqueline Hufana has also been awarded a captain’s role alongside Valenzuela, as the junior projects to be one of St. Anthony’s lowest scorers. Klenk also said that incoming freshman Jasmyn Munoz has also been posting similar scores to Valenzuela and Hufana during summer practices.
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