By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com

WOODLAND – It was very emotional for Napa Valley College's Ping Yang and Ela Ashley as the scores for the 2023 California Community College Athletic Association's Northern California Regional Championships were posted outside the golf shop at Yolo Fliers Club late Tuesday afternoon.

With darkness descending fast on the course, Yang and Ashley, both freshmen, learned that they were advancing as individuals, along with the Storm's No. 1 player, Jill Obelleiro, to the CCCAA State Championships, Nov. 13-14 at Hunter Ranch Golf Course in Paso Robles.

"I just got done crying. I didn't think I was going to make it," said Ashley. "It just ended up working out and I'm really happy. I'm going home happy tonight."

Yang expressed her joy and excitement about qualifying for the state tournament and extending her first season of collegiate golf to one final week.

"I never thought I could advance and go to state. I still cannot leave believe it. The results are just unbelievable," said Yang. "For me, this is a dream come true, to come to Napa Valley College and play with the team and to help the team. I'm very, very excited."

The three Napa Valley players, all of whom are freshmen, were honored among the seven individual qualifiers at ceremonies to conclude the two-day, 36-hole NorCal tournament.

The top four teams, and seven individuals outside of those teams, advance to state. By finishing fifth, shooting 388-383 – 771, Napa Valley ends its team season. But there is still work ahead for the Storm's three players who qualified.

"Three rookies – it's pretty cool to see," said NVC coach Bob Freschi. "So happy and proud for them. They hung in there and they put together respectable numbers, enough to qualify for the state championships. Just to experience the states and as freshmen is pretty fun. It wasn't easy for them. But they got it done at the end."

Yolo Fliers, set up as par-72, 5,300-yard layout, is very challenging with fairways that are tree-lined and greens that present a tough test.

Yolo Fliers Club, founded in 1919, is a private golf club, with the course recognized by the U.S. Golf Association and Northern California Golf Association as a championship venue, according to its website, yolofliers.com.

"It's not easy coming off the tee and the ability to get a respectable number coming into the green," Freschi pointed out. "Both Ping and Ela hung in there and did what they had to do, to get to make it to the state championships.

"Jill played really, really well both days, striking the ball well. She has had a great season."

Obelleiro led Napa Valley, shooting 89-84 – 173. Obelleiro was named to the All-Big 8 Conference team.

Yang shot 97-101 – 198 and Ashley shot 100-99 – 199.

It was sunny with patchy clouds, with temperatures in the mid-60s. It was breezy at times.

The Yolo Fliers Club website, yolofliers.com, points out: "It is a classic course, laid out with tree-lined fairways including many large, beautiful specimen Valley Oaks."

Ashley said: "I wasn't making great contact (Tuesday), but I did better than I did (Monday). So, I'm proud of myself. But it definitely comes down to the greens."

Also, for the Storm, it was Desiree Berdiago, 104-99 – 203, and Mya Brooks, 102-105 – 207.

"This is a great group of ladies. Great team camaraderie, on and off the golf course," said Freschi. "We did what it had to take to compete in the Big 8 Conference. It's not easy and we were very respectable. We competed. We held our head high and we worked hard. It's a grind.

"We do things right in our program and it shows and it paid off for three of our ladies today. It wasn't for a lack of effort for Mya and Desiree. It just didn't work out for them. They had a couple bad breaks, and that's golf. Things have to go your way both days."

The Storm played in 10 conference tournaments during the season.

Obelleiro went about her round, reminding herself to stay focused and positive and to move on from any missed shots.

"Monday, I was getting irritated with my bad shots. Everything was just getting to me," she said. "But (Tuesday) it was like I told myself to forget about it. Keep moving on. (Tuesday's) what matters. (Monday), I couldn't really win anything. But I could put my name on the board. And (Tuesday) I went in there, and even when I had bad shots, I was still in a good mood. I was trying to talk with the girls, like have a good time. I definitely feel like it was way different from (Tuesday) than (Monday).

"Being able to commit and stay through it is really important out here."

Yang added: "It is not an easy course. We have to have a strategy. I trust the process. Believe in yourself, believe in the process."

Awards were presented to the top three teams. Medals were also presented.

Modesto Junior College won the team title, shooting 319-331 – 650. Modesto was led by Mikaella Manto, who shot 78-78 – 156.

In second place was Reedley College, which shot 331-337 – 668. Reedley was led by Ethel Asequia, who shot 73-75 – 148.

Taking third place was Sierra College-Rocklin, which shot 351-363 – 714. Sierra was led by Veronica Cantu-Maher, who shot 82-86 – 168.

In fourth place was Sacramento City College, which shot 371-355 – 726. Sac City was led by Ashraya Vang, who shot 86-86 – 172.

Also in the team field was San Joaquin Delta College-Stockton, which shot 390-399 – 789. Delta was led by Genevieve Akers, who shot 88-81 – 169.

Napa Valley played in the State Preview/North-South Tournament, Oct. 8-9, at Hunter Ranch Golf Course, in Paso Robles. The Storm finished eighth in the 14-team field.

Play at Hunter Ranch Golf Course for the two-day, 36-hole state tournament will be from the Red tee markers. It's a par-72, 5,424-yard course.

* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016, the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.