Eagles’ outlook looking bright

Bryce Alderton

The Estancia High boys golf team might be going to Hawaii during

spring break, but Coach Art Perry believes the entire season could be

spent in paradise.

Perry, the only head coach in the program’s 19-year history, is

anxious about the prospects for this season with a team of six

returning lettermen eager to defend their Golden West League title.

Among Perry’s arsenal includes sophomore Marcus Sostak, who

averaged 38 for nine holes a year ago and, along with Jason Cassidy,

advanced to the CIF Southern Regional individual championship.

Cassidy claimed the Golden West League individual title and now plays

for Orange Coast College.

“Marcus could be as good as Jason was,” Perry said.

Senior Jason Les, along with sophomores Greg Les and Austin Serr,

also return. Seniors Nick Lettieri and Danny Kao each played mostly

on the junior varsity team last year, but Perry moved both up to

varsity this year, citing off-season improvement.

Sophomores Garrett McMasters and John Rausch, along with freshman

Drew Bertoni, give Perry even more choices as the season progresses.

“We have more depth this year,” Perry said.

The Eagles’ home course is Mesa Verde Country Club and four

members of this year’s team play there regularly. The Les brothers

and Rausch are all members while Lettieri works in the cart room.

“Mesa Verde is the toughest course around,” Perry said. “A 40 at

Costa Mesa [Golf & Country Club] and a 40 at Mesa Verde are two

different scores.”

Twenty-one golfers comprise Estancia’s freshmen, junior varsity

and varsity squads.

But the junior varsity team is basically another freshmen team

since most of the sophomores are on varsity, Perry said.

“Normally, we have more sophomores and we have no juniors in the

program,” he said.

Perry plans to bring up junior varsity players on a regular basis

to introduce them to varsity competition and prepare them for the

future.

The Eagles will visit Oahu April 2-7 to compete in two tournaments

and will host the third annual Estancia Mesa Verde tournament March 8

at Mesa Verde Country Club, a 15-team event with no individual

winners, a change from previous years.

Coaches will be able to instruct players during the round, adding

another dimension.

Teams scheduled to appear include Arcadia, Peninsula, Beverly

Hills, Woodbridge, Brea and Foothill.

“It will be a real fun tournament,” said Perry, who is

anticipating the Eagles’ opener Tuesday against visiting Long Beach

Millikan.

“I am happy with the quality of guys I have.”