Update: The Eagles went on to claim their second consecutive West Sequoia League Crown with a combined 399 at Madera Municipal, April 4. Freshman Tyler Zaentz led the way with a 73, while junior Spencer Lee shot 74, freshman Jeff Roseth 75, junior Clark Jacobson 86, and sophomore Tim DeGroot and freshman Brian Kinghorn 91. Fowler’s senior Matt Gorella shot 74 to claim the League Individual title with a 27 hole total of 110. He finished 1 shot clear of Zaentz and Clovis Christian senior Micah DiFalco who posted 71 at Madera.

After opening their season with 12 straight nine-hole matches, the defending West Sequoia League champion golf squad will get their first taste of an 18 hole competition.

The Eagles next tee it up at Madera Municipal Golf Course in the league finale, May 4, with plans to successfully defend their title.

Following their 2008 “banner year,” head coach Jeff Hopper decided to schedule tougher competition in 2009, securing matches with Bullard, Yosemite, Sierra and Hoover. His team responded by going 11-1 overall, losing only to Bullard.

Hopper looked past the League Tournament and onto the North Area Championship scheduled for May 11 at Madera Municipal.

“You can play a great schedule but it all comes down to one day: the Area Tournament,” Hopper said. “The tournament determines whether we get to keep playing. I can’t say yet whether the tougher schedule will help us.”

The winningest golf season in school history also included two head-to-head victories over the defending Central Section Division II Valley champion Yosemite Badgers.

Now with a 9-hole combined average of 212 and a 5-0 (league play) record, FC looks to finish a second consecutive season atop the standings. Fowler (4-2) finished 21 strokes behind the Eagles in the West Sequoia League 9-hole tournament at Lemoore and will attempt to thwart their efforts.

The league individual title (contested over 27 holes) is also up for grabs with multiple players close to the lead. Fowler’s senior Matt Gorella heads up the group of contenders at even-par following his front-9 36 at Lemoore, April 23.

Not far behind are Eagles’ freshmen Jeff Roseth (1 over) and Tyler Zaentz (2 over). Clovis Christian senior and defending league individual champion Micah DiFalco (4-over) and ’08 runner-up junior Spencer Lee (5-over) are also within striking distance.

“I will have to keep calm mentally and not go for risky shots,” Zaentz said. “I am hoping not to make more than 2 bogeys all round. Madera is not a hard course so the birdies will come. If I don’t make bogeys I will probably go pretty low.”

For the Eagles, Roseth says he is currently enjoying some of the best golf of his career. He has not shot a competitive score in the 40s since the Eagles’ match versus Sierra, March 26, and is riding a hot streak that saw him post scores of 73, 77, 74, 74 in the boys 14-15 age group of the Len Ross Fresno City Junior Amateur Championship, April 6-9.

Roseth finished fourth in the tournament ? his best finish in 4 years playing in the event.

“Playing every day helped alot to get me on this streak,” Roseth said. “It helped me groove my swing. The best part of being on a hot streak is going out and playing well a lot.”

Each of FC’s top three players, Roseth, Zaentz, and Lee, has proven they can be the team’s medalist on any given day, and all three can also go low on the same day. In a recent 18-hole practice round, April 22, Lee shot 74, Zaentz 76 and Roseth 77 at Riverside Golf Course.

FC will look to use the tournament as a springboard to the North Area tournament. There the Eagles must defeat Yosemite again in order to advance to the Valley Team Championship at Belmont Country Club, May 18.

“Hopefully we can shoot 3 rounds in the mid 70’s and 2 rounds in the 90’s,” Lee said. “Our goal will be to just go out there and post a solid number. Anything around 405-410 would be great for us.”