Momono earns individual low medalist honors; NVC men's golf wins fourth straight
Photo: The Napa Valley College men's golf team, from left, Lawrence Pepito, Nick DeBellis, Tyler Momono, Ben Wilhite, Stephen Nefsky, Max Taylor.
Courtesy photo
By MARTY JAMES
Tyler Momono was the individual low medalist and the Napa Valley College men's golf team won its fourth straight Big 8 Conference-North Division tournament on Monday at Turlock Golf & Country Club.
Momono's 1-under-par 71 featured an eagle-3 on the 16th hole. He birdied the par-4, 18th hole, wrapping up an outstanding day to lead the Storm in the four-team event.
Napa Valley shot a 380-team score.
It was the sixth tournament of the Big 8 Conference-North Division season.
"Tyler was playing great. It was great to see him have a great round like that, to go in the red numbers. It was huge for him and our team moving forward," said Storm head coach Bob Freschi.
"He was really on his mid-irons yesterday. He was sticking his approaches."
Momono eagled the par-5, 16h hole. He hit the fairway in regulation with his drive and reached the green on his second shot, hitting a 5-iron from 220 yards, leaving him a tap-in putt.
"He put it within a foot," said Freschi.
Momono is a returning player for Napa Valley. He tied for 23rd place at last year's California Community College Athletic Association State Championships at Sandpiper Golf Club in Goleta (Santa Barbara County). The Storm was the Big 8 Conference North Division champion and the winner of seven tournaments during the 2024 spring season.
"Tyler came through for us, just played really solid golf. He had a great mindset and has been working on his attitude this year," said Freschi. "He's enjoying the process more and smiling out there more, and it showed (Monday). He really did well."
It was also a big day for Napa Valley.
Momono led four players for the Storm who posted scores in the 70s.
Nick DeBellis shot a 1-over-par 73.
Lawrence Pepito carded a 5-over-par 77.
Stephen Nefsky fired a 6-over-par 78.
Also, playing for Napa Valley was Max Taylor with an 81 and Ben Wilhite with an 82.
"It was a conference match, and it was great to get the 'W' for our fourth in a row, said Freschi. "I feel like we're at a good spot. I really like where our attitude's at, where our mindset is, where our game is. It's great when they're able to execute. That's the bottom line."
Taking second place in the team scoring was Sierra College-Rocklin with a 392-team score.
Next was San Joaquin Delta College-Stockton with a 399-team score.
Modesto Junior College had a 401-team score.
Napa Valley and Reedley College will meet in a dual match on Wednesday, March 19 at 1 p.m. on the South Course at Silverado Resort in Napa.
* 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.