Story and photo by Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director

College of the Canyons Women’s Golf is headed back to the state championship tourney after taking third place at the California Community College Athletic Association Southern California Regional Championship at El Prado Golf Course in Chino on Monday, Nov. 7.

Canyons, already champions of the Western State Conference, carded a two-day score of 656 (338/318) to finish behind runner-up Fullerton College at 644 (316/328) and regional champion Saddleback College at 637 (317/320). The title was the second in as many years for the Bobcats.

Bakersfield College (689-341/348) placed fourth and was the final team to qualify for the CCCAA State Championship tournament being held Nov. 13-14 at Morro Bay Golf Course.

Freshman Motoko Shimoji was the low score for Canyons at 151 (80/71) to place third in the individual standings. Her one-under-par score of 71 on Monday tied for second on the day, representing one of three players that finished at or below par for the round.

Carla Menendez, the Western State Conferences Player of the Year, finished tied for 12th overall with a score of 167 (86/81).

Freshman Brooke Maxwell was just one stroke behind that pace at 168 (87/81) after shaving six strokes off her day one score to place 14th.

Flora Peugnet was the last to score for Canyons taking 16th at 170 (85/85) after back-to-back steady rounds.

Emma Tyni was 30th overall at 185 (91/94) but did not count towards the final Canyons tally.

Canyons will now set its sights on a return trip to Morro Bay. Earlier this season the Cougars placed third at the annual North/South Invitational which serves as a preview of the state championship venue. Saddleback also won that event followed by Modesto College and Canyons.

The trip to the state championship event will be the 11th in program history, all coming under head coach Gary Peterson, and the first since Canyons won its second of back-to-back titles in 2019. The California Community College Athletic Association did not host a state championship in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021 COC sophomore Nisha Gaulke qualified to compete at the state championships as an individual.

The Cougars have won four state championships in women’s golf program history in 2001, 2007, 2018 and 2019.

Team Scores

1. Saddleback (637-317/320) 2. Fullerton (644-316/328) 3. Canyons (656-338/318) 4. Bakersfield (689-341/348) 5. Orange Coast (691-355/336) 6. Desert (701-346/355) 7. Moorpark (723-363/360) 8. Santa Barbara (NS-342/NS)

Canyons Individual Scores

Motoko Shimoji (151-80/71-3rd); Carla Menendez (167-86/81-12th); Brooke Maxwell (168-87/81-14th); Flora Peugnet (170-85/85-16th); Emma Tyni (185-91/94-30th).

Field Individual Standings

1 – 140 — Nicole Whipple (68/72) — SADDLE

2 – 144 — Yilanna Fernandez (74/70) — FC

3 – 151 — Motoko Shimoji (80/71) – COC; Cathilyn Lee (73/78) — FC

5 – 154 — Emmas Ashcroft (80/74) —OCC; Meah Collins (79/75) — OCC

7 – 159 — Carlee Stevens (80/79) — SBCC

8 – 162 — Kenzie Edson (82/80) — SADDLE; Caitlyn Randolph (83/79) — SADDLE

10 – 163 — Jaidyn Eldridge (80/83) — BC

11 – 165 — Demi Preece (79/86) — COD

12 – 167 — Carla Menendez (86/81) — COC; Maci Mills (84/83) — BC

14 – 168 — Brooke Maxwell (87/81) — COC; Alyssa Vasquez (80/88) — FC

16 – 170 — Flora Peugnet (85/85) — COC

17 – 171 — Joey Fletcher (87/84) — SBCC; Jensen Kelley (86/85) — COD

19 – 172 — Alie Crone (87/85) — MP; Taylor Eldridge (85/87) — BC

21 – 174 — Lia Harvey (84/90) — SADDLE

22 – 175 — Lili Ramos (88/87) — MP

23 – 176 — Devin Middleton (87/89) — MP

24 – 181 — Karissa Flores (92/89) — SADDLE

25 – 182 — Yvonne Pretorius (90/92) — COD; Emily Ruiz (89/93) — SBCC; Liwiana Griffin (90/92) — FC; Rhea Sigur (89/93) — FC

29 – 183 — Karla Garcia (91/92) — COD

30 – 185 — Emma Tyni (91/94) — COC

31 – 187 — Danette Schutte (92/95) — BC

32 – 191 — Michelle Manzo (98/93) — OCC

33 – 192 — Lexi Jaeger (98/94) — OCC; Sam Miller (92/100) — COD

35 – 200 — Ellana Dunbar (101/99) — MP

36 – 208 — Rachel Dunbar (106/102) — MP; Deneah Jackson (98/110) — COD

Stay up to date on all this season’s action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department and on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.