Lightning depth to be tested

The Sage Hill School girls’ golf team has lost its best player from last year in Justine Chen, who transferred to Trabuco Hills.

That could be cause for despair at many other small-school programs, but not at Sage Hill.

Second-year coach Mike Hogan, who played baseball at Orange Coast College and was in the minor leagues for seven years, said he likes his team’s depth.

“We should have a pretty good team this year,” Hogan said. “We’ve got a couple seniors, a couple sisters, a sophomore coming in and a new freshman coming in.”

The seniors are Natalie Kraft and Emma Koh, both of whom are returning team captains.

Kraft was first-team All-Academy League last year and Koh made the second team for the Lightning, which finished sixth as a team at the CIF Southern Divisional.

Junior Kimmie Venditozzi and younger sister Kelsey, a sophomore, also return, as does sophomore Sara Anderson, who was a second-team All-Academy League pick in 2005.

“We’re going to be good because of our depth,” Hogan said. “As far as leadership, I think it’s going to have to be a group effort.”

Also aspiring to make the team is freshman Sara White, the daughter of Chuck White, who was an All-American golfer for UCLA in the late 1970s.

Chen was the only Sage Hill girls’ golfer who advanced to the CIF Individual tournament last year, but Hogan said the solid team finish at the divisional tournament was a positive indicator.

“Last year, we had seven girls try out for the team and all of them made the team,” Hogan said. “Then, we finished sixth in the CIF Southern Divisional. For a school that only has 450 kids, that’s quite an accomplishment.”

The Lightning finished with an 11-3 record last year, going 6-2 against Academy League competition. Sage Hill was second to rival St. Margaret’s in league for the second straight year.

“We lost to them twice, and that was the difference,” Hogan said.

“It always depends on how much the kids dedicate themselves over he summer,” Hogan said. “Hopefully, the girls have played a lot of golf over the summer and they’re ready to come out firing. If we play as good as we did last year, we’ll be competitive.”

Sage Hill plays home matches at Irvine’s Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course, as well as Strawberry Farms Golf Course.

The Lightning opened the season 1-2, with a win and a loss against Fairmont Prep and a loss to Mater Dei.

Kraft had the low round in the victory over Fairmont Prep, Sept. 7, shooting 11-over-par 47.

Kelsey Venditozzi posted the low round in the other two matches.

THE LIGHTNING

Sara Anderson So.

Natalie Kraft Sr.

Emma Koh Sr.

Kelsey Venditozzi So.

Kimmie Venditozzi Jr.

Sara White Fr.

Coach: Mike Hogan

(second year)