By Ed Piper
Seniors Amalia Parzen and Olivia Krasuski figure to be La Jolla's one-two golfers on their six-player varsity unit this season.
They move up from the two-three-four slots from last year's squad, which placed third in CIF Division 2 led by the intense Brea Tyrus, who graduated and is going to play college golf at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado. Viking coach Aaron Quesnell describes Tyrus' approach as a "diehard ethic".
In contrast, Parzen, who is hitting the ball "a lot farther", according to her coach, is "bubbly". "She's a lot of fun," Quesnell says.
The team still hasn't come together to play as a six-some, with the season starting this week. So the coach honestly doesn't know what the team atmosphere will be like. Krasuski is expected to play in the second spot, but she hasn't returned yet.
On the other hand, junior Chloe Kim is ready and practicing, and projects to be the Vikings' number-three competitor among the varsity returners.
On Parzen, her coach commented, "She got much stronger." On Kim: "She also, like Amalia, has improved over the summer. I'm hoping Chloe can shave two strokes off her nine-hole score. Chloe, with maturity and age, is going to be a smarter and more patient golfer."
Beyond Parzen, Krasuski, and Kim in the top three slots, junior Kiana Seva and sophomore Gloria Devitt will vie for the fourth and fifth spots. "Gloria and Kiana, I'm envisioning as together," said Quesnell.
"Kiana was playing well at the end of last year. She improved over the summer. In tryouts (earlier this month), she was hitting the ball really solidly. She doesn't hit the ball far, but she doesn't hit a lot of bad shots."
Said the coach, "Gloria can hit the ball far because she has that athletic build. She's more raw, because she's new to the sport. Around the greens, she's less experienced. I bet she improves over the year."
There will be a scramble among four players for the final spot or spots on varsity: sophomores Aurora Preis and Ebony Crandle, and juniors Paige Dierlam and Rebecca Gillison.
"Aurora, Ebony, and Paige could be in the mix around five-six," said Quesnell.
"They're going to work on getting better around the greens, on chipping and putting."
"Aurora is like Kiana. She has improved. She is similar to Kiana in that she isn't going to hit the ball far, but she is going to be accurate."
"Ebony will be in the mix around the five-six slot," said the coach. "Her short game is actually pretty good. We're going to work on her length. She has a good short game."
Regarding Dierlam, he said, "Paige hits the ball pretty well, but we're going to work on her consistency avoiding bad shots. Her strength? She is a good contact hitter."
"Rebecca might be competing for the last spot on varsity. She's hitting the ball far. She has improved."
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