By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com

The Napa Valley College men's golf team finished in third place in a Big 8 Conference-North Division tournament on Monday, Feb. 10 at Woodbridge Golf & Country Club, in San Joaquin County.

It was the Big 8 Conference's first tournament of the spring season.

Napa Valley shot a 398-team score in the four-team field.

Ben Wilhite, playing in the No. 1 spot in the lineup, led the Storm with a 3-over-par 74.

"He's solid. He's just a machine. He's straight off the tee, middle of the green, two-putt," head coach Bob Freschi said. "He just plays really steady, heads-up golf. He's really coming into his own."

Wilhite was one of three players to post scores in the 70s for Napa Valley.

Stephen Nefsky had a 6-over-par 77 and Lawrence Pepito had an 8-over-par 79.

Also, playing for the Storm was Nick DeBellis with an 82, Max Taylor with an 86, and Tyler Momono with a 90.

"We need five guys to get in the 70s. We only had three guys," said Freschi.

"Woodbridge is one of those courses that, for some reason, we never play well there," said Freschi. "In my tenure here at Napa, we just don't play well at Woodbridge. I've tried many different things. It just kind of got away from us."

Modesto Junior College won with a 384-team score.

Taking second place was San Joaquin Delta College-Stockton with a 386-team score. Finishing fourth was Sierra College-Rocklin with a 400-team score.

"We struck the ball well. We battled and we hung in there," said Freschi. "For our first conference match, I see the good things. We'll learn from our mistakes and just continue to get better."

Napa Valley will host Sierra and Modesto in a tri-match on Monday, Feb. 17 at 12 p.m. at Chardonnay Golf Club & Vineyards, in American Canyon.

* 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.