Freshman Alexandra Groetsema from Palo Alto High fired an even-par 71 to lead the first day of play Saturday at the Williams Fall Classic on the 5,128-yard layout at Taconic Golf Club in Williamstown, Ma.
That is the lowest round ever by an Williams College woman. She had an 11-shot lead in individual play and the Ephs led in team play by 13 shots over Amherst.
Taconic Golf Club, the Ephs’ home course, is frequently ranked among the nation’s top college courses and this year it is second only to the Yale’s course, but last year Taconic was ranked first by Golfweek magazine.
Groetsema followed up her first round with a 78 on the second round to take medalist honors (149) by eight shots and lead Williams to the win. She tied the Williams record for lowest two-round total set by her classmate Emily Wickstrom two weeks earlier.
Williams has won its past three tournaments with a lineup of two sophomores and three freshmen and in each of the three wins an Eph first- year player took home medalist honors.
The Ephs finished sixth our of 20 teams in their season opening effort at the Dartmouth Invite. All five teams ahead of the Ephs were Division I teams, thus the Ephs have finished first among Division III teams at all four events this fall.
Girls’ cross country
Priory junior Kat Gregory finished fourth at the Crystal Springs Invitational on Saturday in Belmont, clocking 18:41.9 over the 2.95-mile layout. Castilleja senior Rachel Skokowski finished 11th in the same race, racing him in 19:07.5.
Football
Menlo-Atherton grad Vaughn Smith and Palo Alto High grad James McCollough both contributed to College of San Mateo’s 45-0 victory over Los Medanos College on Saturday as the Bulldogs completed a 5-0 nonconference schedule.
CSM is the state’s highest scoring college football team and is ranked No. 2 among the USA’s 140 two-year college teams. College of San Mateo also has the state’s top rushing offense. On Saturday, the Bulldogs ran for 349 yards with Smith carrying 10 times (for a season-low) 62 yards.
The defending Northern California champion (and state runnerup) Bulldogs recorded the first shutout since Bret Pollack took over as head coach last season. CSM held the Mustangs to 152 yards of total offense. McCollough had four tackles, three unassisted.
In another community college game, Palo Alto High grad Mike Scott caught touchdown passes of 37 and 15 yards to help Foothill College blast visiting West Valley College, 62-0, on Saturday. Scott finished with three catches for 61 yards.
— Palo Alto Online Sports
— Palo Alto Online Sports
— Palo Alto Online Sports