1994 Prep Golf: Six Teams to Watch : Esperanza

Coach: Al Safallo (12th year).

1992-93: 17-1, 10-0 in the Empire League; finished fourth in the Southern Regional, four shots behind third-place Servite.

Key returners: Chris Berry, Sr., won Empire League individual title; Ryan Donovan, So.; Jason Henderson, Sr.; Bill Kelly, Sr.; Scott Lucidi, Sr.

Key newcomers: Andy Bergdahl, Sr.; Jeff Cary, Sr.; Bill Manos, Sr.

Outlook: Esperanza was highly ranked last season but missed qualifying for the Southern Section team final by four strokes. Only one player--Henderson, who shot 76--shot better than 80 at the team regional. Few teams in the county have a stronger top three. Berry, who will attend Arizona, has won consecutive league titles and finished fifth at the Southern Section individual championships last year. Donovan and Henderson are just a few strokes behind, and Safallo said Lucidi is not too far behind that. Safallo is bullish. “They seem to want it and they work at it,” Safallo said. “I have a lot of guys here that are putting a lot of time in. It will be a long time before we have anything like this again.”