By MARTY JAMES

martyjames.sports@gmail.com

For the Napa Valley College women's golf team, it's on to the 2024 California Community College Athletic Association-Northern California Regional Championships. It's a two-day, 36-hole event on Sunday, Nov. 10 and Monday, Nov. 11, at Wildhorse Golf Club, in Davis.

Napa Valley is a tournament-tested team, having played in 12 Big 8 Conference tournaments during the fall season. The Storm has also played in dual matches.

"At the NorCal Championship, we have to play good golf and we just have to be in the right frame of mind. We have the ability. We have to eliminate those big numbers," Storm head coach Bob Freschi said.

Napa Valley finished in fourth place in the Big 8 Conference and Jill Obelleiro, the Storm's No. 1 player and sophomore team captain, was named to the All-Big 8 Conference team.

Obelleiro finished in second place individually, posting a 74, as Napa Valley concluded the Big 8 Conference tournament season on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at Ridge Creek Dinuba Golf Club.

"Jill is our leader. She's been playing phenomenal golf. So, we're going to count on her to put together two good rounds, and hopefully the other ladies will follow."

Also on the team is Ping Yang, a sophomore, and freshmen Libby Webb, Hazel Zastrow and Hanna Ruggles. Chardonnay Golf Club & Vineyards, in American Canyon, is the Storm's home course.

"I'm really proud of Jill. What a year she's had," said Freschi. "To put up some of the numbers she has is a great job, with her development and maturity in our program. I'd like to see her compete for a NorCal individual championship as well as the state."

Napa Valley posted a 354-team score and placed fourth in the league's final tournament.

"I'm very proud of this team, with their diligence. To come in fourth place in our conference, it's totally met our expectations," said Freschi. "We got better as the season went on. It's not easy. It took time for them to understand our philosophy and what we're trying to build on."

There are six teams, along with individuals, at the Northern California Regional Championships.

The field consists of Napa Valley, Reedley College, Sacramento City College, Modesto Junior College, San Joaquin Delta College-Stockton and Sierra College-Rocklin. Wildhorse Golf Club is a par-72, 5,595-yard layout, with the field playing from the blue/white tee markers.

There are starting times from the No. 1 tee, beginning at 9:30 a.m., for the first round.

There is an 8 a.m. shotgun start for the second round.

The top four teams and six individuals not on those teams advance to the CCCAA State Championships, Nov. 17-18, at Monarch Dunes Golf Club, in Nipomo.

"We're just going to work hard and enjoy it," said Freschi. "We have a great opportunity to make states as a team, which is pretty incredible, if we're able to do that.

"Just the progression is great to see. That's why we're in the coaching profession – to see these golfers get better, improve their game and have a good time doing it. The maturity and development are great to see." Napa Valley has experience at Wildhorse Golf Club.

The Storm finished fourth in a Big 8 Conference tournament, posting a 368-team score, at Wildhorse Golf Club in September.

The Storm shot a 368-team score in a dual match against Sacramento City College in October at Wildhorse Golf Club.

The Storm also played a practice round on Thursday at Wildhorse Golf Club.

A key for the Storm is keeping drives in play, said Freschi.

"It's just meeting our criteria off the tee, our philosophy. Just play smart and understand that it's a 36-hole event. It's not an 18-hole event. We can't compound things. We compounded things a couple times at Ridge Creek and had a bigger number. If we can avoid that, I think we're in good shape to qualify to states," said Freschi. The CCCAA Southern California Regional Championships are Nov. 10-11 at Los Serranos Golf Club, in Chino Hills.

* 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.