By Pete Borello
There’s more than pride and a competitive spirit that drives the Mountain View High boys golf team. There’s also pizza.
“They are constantly trying to break par so that I have to buy pizza for the team,” coach Steven Miyano said. “But if they shoot poorly, they have to buy me a pizza.”
If the Spartans shoot worse than 10 over par, the players buy; if they shoot under par, the coach pays. So far, Miyano has gotten the better end of the deal.
“We’ve been so close to going under,” said starter Spencer Fletcher, part of a team that has shot even par, 1 over and 2 over this season. “We owe him right now, and we’re hoping to get it back.”
The Spartans are down 2-0 when it comes to pizza, but they are unbeaten in league (11-0). Mountain View has already wrapped up the SCVAL De Anza Division title and needs only to beat rival Los Altos today (3:30 p.m. at Shoreline Golf Links) to go undefeated for the second year in a row.
“We have a very good team for a public school,” Miyano said. “My starting six players all shoot in the 70s or better.”
With so many good players, Mountain View has the luxury of not having to rely on just one golfer. “It is difficult to pick out any one star, ” Miyano said.
Junior Tyler Ichikawa has been the leader of the team for the past two years, according to the coach, and normally shoots in the low 70s. His brother, freshman Adam Ichikawa, has the lowest scoring average on the team, shooting about even-par for the season.
“Adam has been playing extremely well,” Miyano said.
Sophomore Fletcher, junior Cameron Showecker and senior Yutaro Sakamoto “are all solid players and starters,” the coach said, and shoot in the low to mid-70s as well.
Matt Wallach and Ryan Kelly “are very consistent sophomores,” Miyano said, “who have never let me down.” Wallach normally scores in the mid-70s over 18 holes, while Kelly shoots between 39 and 41 for nine holes.
Freshman Mitchell Goulette rounds out the team, and Miyano is excited about the young player’s potential.
“He plays every day and is always working on his game,” the coach said. “He has already improved significantly this year since he started.”
While having so many solid golfers is a key to the Spartans’ success, Miyano said it’s not the only one. This team wins with talent and teamwork.
“The best thing about the team is that not only are the boys all fine golfers, but they are also very good young men,” he said. “They all cheer for each other and work great as a team.”
Fletcher said the camaraderie and competition have made this season special.
“It’s so much fun,” he said. “I look forward to golf practice every day just because I know I get to spend time with the seven other players and Mr. Miyano. Everyone on the team is such good friends with each other. We’re also really competitive with each other - everyone wants to beat the other guy.”
Beyond their unblemished league record, Mountain View has also excelled in tournament play. In March, the Spartans captured the Los Altos Invitational at San Juan Oaks Golf Club in San Juan Bautista. The Spartans won by 15 strokes, led by medalist Fletcher’s 1-under-par 71.
The next tournament Mountain View competes in will be the postseason variety. The league tournament is scheduled Monday and Tuesday at Eagle Ridge Golf Club in Gilroy. The teams finishing first and second qualify for the Central Coast Section Regional Tournament, set for May 9 and 10 at Rancho Cañada Golf Club in Carmel.
“We have hope of doing well at CCS and more,” Miyano said.
Mountain View wraps up the regular season at 3 p.m. Thursday against South San Francisco in a non-league match at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City.
