BENICIA HIGH won its first Sac-Joaquin Section boys golf championship with a Division II victory at Mare Island. The champion Panthers are (from left) Tyler Caruso, Zack McClure, Evan Cuenco, Nick Flores, Dylan Fergerstrom and Dustin Sparks.

Benicia High’s boys golf team captured the program’s first Sac-Joaquin Section championship with a victory in the Division II Tournament on Tuesday at the Mare Island Golf Course.

It was the first Sac-Joaquin Section team championship in any Benicia High sport this school year and only the school’s second SJS golf title ever (the Lady Panthers won in 2014).

“The kids are really coming together,” said Benicia golf coach Nan Prolo. “They knew they would have to work for it today and they all stepped up.”

Playing on their home course at Mare Island was certainly an advantage for the Panthers, who are unbeaten at home this season. Zack McClure, the reigning Solano County Athletic Conference Most Valuable Player, led Benicia with a 78 and finished tied for third overall. Teammate Evan Cuenco was right behind with a 79 and finished tied for fifth. Nick Flores shot an 83, Dustin Sparks added an 88 and Tyler Caruso rounded out Benicia’s scorecard with a 94.

Kennedy’s Kenji Lo and Del Campo’s Bryce Kuick each shot a 77 to lead the field.

“It was foggy and cold and windy and the conditions were tough,” Prolo said. “But we knew the course and have a lot of experience in the wind. It was nice to be home.”

Benicia shot a 422 as a team, well ahead of second-place Kennedy (434). Whitney, which won the Division II tournament ahead of second-place Benicia last season, finished fourth Tuesday with a 451.

The Panthers advance as a team to the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Tournament, which tees off next Monday morning at the Reserve at Spanos Park in Stockton. Benicia has never had a golf team advance past Masters to the NorCal Tournament.

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