For the first time since 2012, the Saugus boys’ tennis team won a Foothill League match on Tuesday in the third round of the boys’ golf season at the Oaks Club after the Centurions posted a total team score of 397.
“I’ve been doing this for four years now and I was pretty excited as a coach that we finally got a chance to win a league match,” Saugus coach Kevin Miner said in an interview with The Signal. “But it’s all the boys. They put in the work, they put in the time, and they put in the effort.”
In the third round, Miner said the achievement was a total team effort as the Centurions defeated the second-place West Ranch Wildcats by seven strokes.
The Centurions were led by sophomore Ben Momary, who ended the day with a total score of 75 (+3).
“They would probably agree that they’re capable of shooting better scores, but they’re still pleased,” Miner said. “Ben Momary, who’s a sophomore, and Aiden Lee, who’s a junior, those were the guys that kind of propped us into winning.”
Aiden Lee ended the day with a score of 76 (+4) and was one stroke behind Momary.
As for the rest of the Foothill League, the Wildcats’ Tyler Sonnenberg ended the day as the medalist with a total score of 72 and remains in first place in the individual Foothill League standings.
Sonnenberg holds a nine-stroke lead ahead of Valencia’s Namo Thoontakhob, who ended the third round with a score of 76 (+4).
Thoontakhob is tied in the individual standings with teammate Lucas Buendia, who shot a 74 (+2) in the third round.
In the Foothill League team standings, Valencia remains in first place with a total score of 777 and holds a 16-stroke lead over the second place Saugus Centurions after the Vikings posted a 404-team score on Tuesday.
The Centurions jumped the West Ranch Wildcats, who dropped to third place, and hold an 18-stroke difference after the third round.
The Wildcats ended the third round with a score of 419.
The Hawks remain in fourth place in the team standings and were led by Cole Ardenas, who scored a 77 (+5) as the team ended the third round with a 417.
Behind the Hawks in fifth place are the Canyon Cowboys, who were in seventh going into Tuesday’s third round.
Canyon’s Aydan Huang ended the third round with a score of 80 (+8) as the team ended with a score of 430.
As for Golden Valley, the Grizzlies ended the day in sixth after the team posted a score of 438 with the Coyotes ending the day with a score of 470.
For Saugus, the jump into second place in the standings has provided a much-need boost of momentum for the team and as the boys’ golf season takes a week off for spring break, Miner said the team will be ready to tackle the fourth round and continue to make history.
“I think [the team] is looking to get some practice over spring break and try to get a lay of the land and have a plan for league match number four,” he said. “And I told them, ‘Golf is different than any other sport, you can’t play defense, you can’t stop them from making a putt. So, you just have to worry about yourself.’ So, that’s the mentality into the next couple of league matches.”
The Foothill League will return for its fourth round of play on Tuesday, April 14, with teams set to play at the Sand Canyon Country Club with tee time scheduled for noon.