The Mission Trail Athletic League champion Stevenson boys’ golf team is headed back to the NorCal Championship. So too, is Tri-County Athletic League champion Palma.

While it wasn’t nearly as dominating as their record 10-under score showing in last week’s Regional, the Pirates shot a team score of 11-over 366 to win Tuesday’s Central Coast Section Championship at par-71 Rancho Canada Golf Course. For the Pirates, who defeated runner-up Mitty by nine strokes, it marked their third straight CCS team title.

“To be honest, after last week I thought we’d shoot 365,” longtime Pirates head coach Bill Hankison said. “It’s just golf. It’s difficult to shoot two 65’s and match that. The guys’ goal coming in today was to post a score around par. The further you advance in the postseason, there’s a more heightened awareness as to what’s at stake. The level of competition goes up.”

Pacing Stevenson was senior Skyler Finnell, who posted a 3-under 69. On Monday, Finnell just missed advancing through a local qualifier for the U.S. Open held at Pasatiempo GC.

“I was exhausted from the qualifier,” said Finnell, who along with teammate Michael Decker scored 65 in the Regional. “It was a struggle all day.”

Finnell, who’s headed to the University of San Diego, opened his round with a quick birdie on the 1^st hole, but went on to par the rest of his front-nine. On his back-nine, he’d bogey the 11^th after pulling his drive left. He’d get back to red figures for good with a birdie on the par-3 16^th and another birdie on the par-5 17^th.

“The wind picked up. I was really fighting for pars,” Finnell said.

“Skyler’s round was huge,” Hankison said. “After coming back from Monday’s qualifier, he played very well.”

Teammate Seb Crampton, who earned a first alternate spot in Monday’s U.S. Open local qualifier, also was a bit fatigued. Regardless, the sophomore posted a 73 to help give Stevenson more breathing room.

Like Finnell, Crampton also had to grind. His round included a pair of eagles (on No.9 and No.17), two birdies, two bogeys and two double-bogeys (on No.1 and No.6), the result of two lost balls.

“It was a ridiculously up and down day,” said Crampton, whose eagle on No.17 came via a 25-foot putt. “It was frustrating knowing I gave up strokes.”

Also boosting the Pirates was a 72 from long-hitting junior Kyle John.

“Kyle’s game is really coming around,” Hankison said. “He can really pound it”

Other Stevenson scores were Decker (76), senior Scott Riley (76), and freshman Sunny Yan (77) Yan had one of the shots of the day, a deft play out of the bunker on 18 from a severely awkward stance that helped him save par.

“That was a difficult shot. I’m proud of Sunny. He was a little over today but he came through. For a freshman, I really like his poise,” Hankison said.

With Mitty securing second place at 375, things then came down to determining the third NorCals qualifying team.

The Chieftains posted 377, but for about 30 minutes it was unknown whether or not they’d advance. St. Ignatius had posted 387, but that was with Max Plank being disqualified for signing for a 66 scorecard when he shot 67. CCS officials later discussed overturning the disqualification, but eventually stood by their original decision, keeping Palma in third place.

Under United States Golf Association Rule 6-c, no alteration may be made on a score card after the competitor has returned it to the Committee. As to when a scorecard has been deemed returned, that is up to the Committee to decide.

“We always tell the kids you’re responsible for your own score,” Palma head coach Clem Richardson said. “We’ve worked hard. It would’ve been disappointing to not move on.”

Leading Palma was junior Jay Burlison with a 72. Brother Jack, a freshman, furthered the Chieftains’ cause with a 73 despite going 4-over through his first four holes. After recovering, he’d shoot 1-under the rest of his round.

“My swing was in a funk for a little but then it came together,” Burlison said.

Other Chieftains scores were sophomore Marc Moreno (76), freshman Travis Winn (79), junior Jack Tardieu (78) and freshman Caleb Cater (78).

Also anxiously watching the scoreboard was Carmel senior Kraig McLeod. McLeod came in with an early 71 and had to wait to see if he’d advance to NorCals as an individual. He’d join medalist Andrew Buchanan of Menlo (64), Jonathan Garrick of St. Francis (66) and Dave Ahmadian of Leigh (67) as the low four individuals not on an advancing team. Finnell placed fourth overall.

“I didn’t think I was going to make it,” McLeod said. “It’s all about trying to get to State. You want to kust keep going.”

The NorCal Championships will take place Monday at Butte Creek CC in Chico. The State Championships will be held June 6 at San Gabriel CC.

Last year, Stevenson made its first ever trip to State, finishing runner-up to Torrey Pines. In last year’s NorCal finals, the Pirates placed second behind winner De La Salle by a stroke.

The Tri-County Athletic League champion Palma boys’ golf squad will be joining Stevenson at next week’s Central Coast Section Championships. In a stunner, Mission Trail Athletic League runner-up Carmel will not.

A day after Stevenson romped through the first CCS Regional, the Chieftains claimed first place in Wednesday’s second Regional on the par-71 West Course at Rancho Canada Golf Course, shooting a score of 21-over 376. Carmel, who only lost to the Pirates by one in last week’s MTAL finals, missed qualifying for the finals by a stroke after shooting a score of 32-over 387.

Following Palma as the three other day’s CCS Championships qualifiers were Menlo (385) and Bellarmine and St. Francis, who both shot 386.

“That’s the tough part of golf,” said Padres head coach Ross Kroeker after breaking the news to his disbelieving team. “The guys worked really hard all season and committed to following a process for improvement. We were looking forward to joining Stevenson and Palma as the three teams at NorCals. We’ll have to wait until next year. We wish them luck.”

The Chieftains, who played with Stevenson at last year’s NorCals, got an early push when junior and No.1 Jay Burlison entered the clubhouse with a 1-under 70. Starting on the back-nine, Burlison had been 4-under through his first eight holes but slipped with a bogey on the 18th after his ball plugged in a bunker. He’d card three more bogeys before finally recovering with a final tap-in birdie on the par-5 9^th to bring him back into red figures.

“I hit it well. I just made some careless errors,” said Burlison, who just missed his eagle try on No.9.

With sophomore Marc Moreno (83) and junior Jack Tardieu (85) both having off days, Palma’s fate would be decided by three freshmen–Jack Burlison, Travis Winn and Caleb Cater. Burlison shot 74, while Winn and Cater each posted 75 to give the Chieftains the victory.

“They’ve (the three freshmen) played solid all year, never better than today,” Palma head coach Clem Richardson said. “We’re young and they did great today. There’s always anxious moments around the scoreboard, but they got the job done. I’m happy for the team. They’ve been working hard.”

Still recovering from a flu, coming into the Regional Carmel standout Kraig McLeod had only gotten in one practice round (on Monday) since last week’s MTAL finals. The senior also hadn’t played the West Course since last year’s CCS finals. Regardless, McLeod shot a 2-over 73, good enough to qualify for next week’s championships as an individual.

“I just couldn’t get anything going today,” said McLeod, whose round included 15 pars, two bogeys and a birdie.

Other Carmel scores were senior Parker Allen (75), freshman Grayson Stapleton (77), junior Evan McLeod (80), sophomore Joe Bergen (82) and sophomore Christine Walker (87).

Joining Kraig McLeod as an individual advancing was Monterey’s Joey Russo, who shot 74. Fellow Toreadore Grant Headley carded an 85.

Medalist for the day was Menlo’s Andrew Buchanan with a 68.

The Stevenson boys golf team served notice that it’s ready for another run at the State Championship.

A year after posting a record team score of 6-under par 349 in the Central Coast Section Regionals, the Pirates upped the ante in Tuesday‘s Regionals on the par-71 West Course at Rancho Canada Golf Course, shooting a blistering 10-under 245. They’d defeat runner-up Sacred Heart Prep (377) by a mere 32 strokes.

“We’re hitting our stride,” Pirates head coach Bill Hankison said. “We’re gaining momentum. Carmel pushing us last week woke us up. We’ve been waiting for everyone to get on all cylinders.”

In last week’s Mission Trail Athletic League finals at Quail Lodge Golf Club, the Pirates slipped by their rivals by a stroke.

Carmel, along with Tri-County Athletic League champion Palma, will play in today’s second Regional.

“We didn’t have a great week at the MTAL finals. Today, we wanted to show everyone what we’re made of,” senior Skyler Finnell said.

It was difficult to not notice.

The first Pirate to come in, junior Michael Decker, posted a 65. Soon afterwards, Finnell also sauntered in with a 65. Joining the mix was a 70 by junior and No.6 player Kyle John, a 71 from freshman Sunny Yan and a 74 by senior Scott Riley. Sophomore Seb Crampton had the Pirates high score–a slippery 76 that other teams would’ve happily welcomed.

Amazingly, Stevenson could have even gone lower. John, who didn’t miss a fairway all day, had four birdie tries within 10 feet of which three missed their mark, while Yan three-putted his last two holes. Crampton, meanwhile, lost strokes when on one hole he got stuck on a tree root, only to play out and find himself battling another root.

“I like the way everyone is swinging right now,” Hankison said.

Decker, who on Monday was just two strokes off from advancing through a local qualifier for the U.S. Open (he’d bogey his 17^th and 18^th holes), opened his round on the West Course’s back-nine by going 1-over through three. After that, he’d go on to card seven birdies, none perhaps more bigger than his first on the 346-yard, par-4 14^th. After nearly driving the green, Decker hit a poor chip, but he sank his resulting 15-foot birdie putt.

“That putt jump started me. It was huge,” Decker said.

On his back-nine, Decker closed with birdies on four of his last five holes, including the final 9^th.

“At that point, I wanted to keep on playing,” Decker said. “I’m ready to go for next week.”

Finnell, who’s headed to the University of San Diego, also overcame a brief hiccup. Starting on the back, on the par-4 12^th Finnell pulled his drive way left. He’d have to punch out, but he stiffed his third shot to within four feet of the pin for his first birdie of the day.

From there, Finnell carded six more birdies to go with a lone bogey.

“That shot on No.12 settled me down. After that, I was just aiming at flagsticks, trying to make as many birdies as I could,” Finnell said.

Following their record setting performance last year, Stevenson went on to make their first ever trip to the State Championships. There, they’d finish runner-up.

“Getting to State and then not winning humbled us,” Decker said. “But it’s kept us hungry this year.”

On the individual front, no local advanced to next week’s CCS finals. North Salinas’ Orlick Breboneria shot 89, York’s Harry Dahlen had 85 and King City’s Gera Vargas and Francisco Ybarra shot 98 and 97, respectively.