As the fall sports season nears its end, many teams at Aliso Niguel High School are wrapping up their final matches, including the Girls Golf team, which has had an eventful and competitive season. The team has been giving it their all through the South County League and has now begun facing off in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) League.
Currently, the Girls Golf team holds a League record of 2-4, with two tough losses against rival Tesoro High School. Despite these setbacks, their overall performance has been impressive, boasting a strong 9-4 overall record. Throughout the season, the team has taken on some of the region’s toughest opponents, including Beckman High School, Tesoro High School, Capistrano Valley High School, and San Clemente High School, showing their ability to compete at a high level.
In terms of rankings, the team is currently sitting at 26th place in the CIF League, unfortunately dropping from their earlier standing of 17th. However, it does not spell the end of their CIF journey. The team remains hopeful as they pursue an at-large bid to continue competing in both individual and team events in the CIF League. With applications submitted, there is still a chance they can continue their postseason run.
However, challenges remain as the team faces the wear and tear of a long season. Player health is a growing concern, with Taylor Heine (9) currently dealing with a minor shoulder injury. Injuries like this are not uncommon in golf, a sport that, despite its calm exterior, demands a great deal of physical precision and repetitive motion, which can take a toll over time.
On a more positive note, Head Coach Jason Turney shared some background on the program’s history, giving a greater appreciation for the team’s roots, as he says, “Wayne Westling started the Aliso Niguel Boys Golf program in 1993, but Girls Golf was not a sport until it got started in 1999! Crazy how that works with CIF.”
This year, the Girls Golf team set out with ambitious goals—and they’ve accomplished many of them. These include improving their overall performance, reducing their number of strokes per round, and working hard to outperform rivals like Tesoro and Capistrano Valley. The determination to finish strong remains central for the team.
An exciting aspect of this year’s team is its youth, as Coach Turney comments, “I think that we have a lot of young golfers. If you look at our varsity team, we don’t have any seniors. It’s still a team that is going to have everybody returning for next year and continue to push forward together.”
Despite the perception that golf is a solitary sport, the camaraderie among the Girls Golf team is strong. The players continue to motivate each other, demonstrating the strong sense of community and teamwork that defines Aliso Niguel athletics. With their season nearly complete, the Girls Golf team remains focused on finishing strong and growing together—this year and the next one as well.
