The gang of eight, La Jolla High's boys golf team,
pause for a group shot. Their competitiveness is
greatly enhanced this season by the arrival of
two newcomers who are brothers, junior Santiago
Cardoso Martinez (seated on base of pole) and
freshman Eugenio Cardoso Martinez (second
from right). (Photo by Ed Piper)
By Ed Piper
The boys were all there. Five of the six varsity starters, plus the strivers, were present at the Torrey Pines driving range early--"It's not like last year"--and in a one-for-all mood as they took on Scripps Ranch in a Western League match Mon., March 16.
The spirit was almost euphoric, as individuals went through their paces together on the range, facing north along Torrey Pines Road, with the gentle-but-aggressive interplay that teen young men have with one another.
"We're all juniors," said Quinn Daniels, a veteran of La Jolla's water polo Open Division champions last fall, as the eight present (Kellen McGrath absent) walked in a line toward the Lodge at Torrey Pines, near the first tee, from the range.
Only senior Tate Phillips, whose Viking varsity boys soccer team just pulled off a Division 4 CIF title earlier this month, was there (among three seniors in Coach Christie Quinn's lineup) to ride herd on his teammates.
Why not go into the match in a celebratory mood?
--The boys soccer team, as said, took their division CIF title (represented by Phillips).
--The boys water polo team (in the person of Daniels on the golf squad) reign for the first time as CIF Open Division champions.
--And for Quinn, a veteran of many boys and girls campaigns since she took over for Aaron Quesnell, onto her doorstep pop the talented brothers from Queretaro, Mexico, Santiago and Eugenio Cardoso Martinez.
How long had the Cardoso Martinez brothers been scheming to come to La Jolla?
"About three years," said Santi, who speaks for both brothers at this juncture, with his facility in English. He is a junior; "Eugene-yo", as their teammates seem to call his brother, is a freshman.
Santi explained. "I used to come here (from Queretaro, in central Mexico) for summer camp as a kid."
So he knew and was fond of the place.
On the line today? Quinn promised In-n-Out if the Vikes defeated the Falcons; the same if Ben Itkin, a freshman who had shot a low of 44 in the opening two weeks, "breaks" (Christie clarified, "or equals") 40.
In the first group, Phillips went with Eugenio at a scheduled 3:58 tee time. Santi and Quinn followed in the second group. Ben and Harley Robison, another freshman, went in the third group. Ryan Hassankhani, a sophomore who returned from last year's squad, paired with Carter Brown, a junior, also a returner, in their foursome.
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