By MARTY JAMES

martyjames.sports@gmail.com

The Napa Valley College women's golf team got another opportunity to play at Wildhorse Golf Club, in Davis, as the course will host the Northern California Regional Championships, Nov. 10-11.

The big story during Thursday's dual match against Sacramento City College was the wind.

"It was blowing at Wildhorse (Thursday)," said Storm coach Bob Freschi.

About an hour after the two teams began play, it got windy.

"There were some (wind) gusts," said Freschi. "But we hung in there. We grinded one out."

In a matchup of Big 8 Conference teams, Sacramento City won the dual, 356-368.

"It was just to get on Wildhorse again, because that's where the NorCal Championships will be at in November," said Freschi. "At the NorCals, we may get some weather like that, or worse.

"So, it's getting adapted to the wind and the ball flight."

Jill Obelleiro shot an 84 to lead the Storm.

Libby Webb was next for the Storm, posting an 88.

Hanna Ruggles (96) and Hazel Zastrow (100) also played in the match for Napa Valley.

"With the wind at Wildhorse, I knew it was going to be a test for us. It was good. We used it to our advantage, seeing the course. We're going to be back (at Wildhorse) in a couple weeks. Let's just take some notes, and let's have a better plan next time we play here," said Freschi.

Napa Valley is the host of the Big 8 Conference-North Division's 10th tournament of the season, on Oct. 24, starting at 11:30 a.m., at Chardonnay Golf Club & Vineyards, in American Canyon.

It's the final home tournament of the season for the Storm.

"We're winding down our season. It's going fast – just got to enjoy it and just finish strong," said Freschi. "This team, we have a great opportunity to make the states. We're slowly but surely improving and working on things that we need to do to get better."

* 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.