It will be a long road to see who will capture the Pacific League title in boys golf this season.
Arcadia High made sure of that Thursday when the Apaches were victorious at Griffith Park’s Harding Golf Course by scoring 386 over five competitors on the Par 72 course. Burroughs was second by shooting 395. Burbank followed in third at 398, followed by Crescenta Valley at 409 and Pasadena at 472.
Burroughs freshman Lincoln Melcher won low medalist honors shooting a three-under-par 69.
“I felt pretty confident. My drives were going really far. The greens were pretty firm so you had to keep it below the hole. I think I adapted to that pretty quickly and I think that’s how I played better,” said Melcher who is committed to UCLA.
Melcher said he knows it will be a fight for the league title.
“Arcadia is good competition. We didn’t have our best rounds today. I think we have a good chance at beating them next time,” he said.
Thursday’s match was the second of six league matches the teams will play. Last week’s match that was scheduled to be played at DeBell Golf Course was postponed due to rain.
Burbank High sophomore J.J. Nakao, fresh off a weekend victory in the San Diego area in the Toyota Tour Cup at Carlton Oaks Country Club in Santee, was very impressive in being just one stroke behind Melcher by shooting 70.
“I wasn’t really happy with my round today, but I’ll take it,” Nakao said. “I hope I can play better. It is what it is.”
Also for Burroughs was sophomore Kodiak Hernandez, who shot 78. Senior Jake Panikowski shot 82. Sophomores Ryan McGowan, Trey Sanchez and Dylan Vallejo all shot 83.
For Burbank High, sophomore Kevin Kienlen shot 77. Freshman Ari Ahmed shot 78. Frank Maslyk shot 86, Louie Calzado 87 and Billy Malipun 101.
The teams will meet up again in two weeks at Santa Anita Golf Course, which is Arcadia’s home.
