Murrieta Valley Boys Win Section Title in Golf

Murrieta Valley, which had flirted with boys’ golf success for the last three years, finally achieved it Thursday when it shot a team total of 364 at the PGA of Southern California Golf Club in Beaumont and won the Southern Section team title by eight strokes over Palm Desert.

Santa Barbara San Marcos shot 382 and took third and Rolling Hills Estates Peninsula was fourth at 389. The top four advance to the CIF-Southern California Golf Assn. regional championships June 2 at the SCGA Golf Course in Murrieta.

Murrieta Valley entered the previous three section finals with high expectations but finished fifth in 2003 and 2004 and third in 2002.

Sophomore Josh Anderson led the team with a four-under-par 68. Rickie Fowler had a 71 and James Warburton a 74. Murrieta Valley was the only team that had all six players break 80.

The Nighthawks will be the favorites in the regional because the SCGA Golf Course is the team’s home course.

-- Peter Yoon

Swimming

Freshman Kevin Nielsen led Westlake Village Oaks Christian to the Southern Section Division IV boys’ team title with record-setting victories in the 200-yard individual medley (1:54.28) and the 100 backstroke (52.60) at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach.

The Lions, who won their first boys’ title, had four other event champions, including three relay teams, and scored 349 points.

Thousand Oaks La Reina scored 251 points to win its first girls’ Division IV title, led by sophomore Emily Bibb, who won the 50 freestyle (23.70) to set a division record and the 100 freestyle (52.07).

Tarbut V’Torah’s Danielle Arad also was a double winner, taking the 200 freestyle (1:53.85) and 500 freestyle (5:06.30).

-- Lauren Peterson