Canyons Sees Pair Finish in Top Five, Lady Cougars Place Third

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director 

PALMDALE — College of the Canyons freshman Sahya Kitabatake continued her torrid run through the Western State Conference (WSC) schedule by shooting a six-under par round of 66 and Cierra Coia finished with a season-best round of 81 to help the Lady Cougars placed third at Rancho Vista Golf Course on Monday. 

Moorpark College (314) was the event winner ahead of runner-up Santa Barbara City College (334) and Canyons (350) in third. Allan Hancock College (379) was fourth with Antelope Valley College (442) in the fifth position. Bakersfield College and Citrus College did not factor into team scoring.

Kitabatake's score was the third straight in which she has finished under par. The freshman standout from Kobe, Japan carded a round of five-under-par at COC's home tourney played at Knollwood Country Club on Sept. 23. Prior to that she finished two-under at Sterling Hills Golf Club on Sept. 16. Kitabatake has now earned medalist honors in four of the first five WSC events. 

Coia's strong round also gave the Lady Cougars a big boost. The freshman out of Canyon High School tied for fifth in the individual standings at 81, matching the score turned in by Kariss Whitford of Allan Hancock.

Valerie Sherman was next for Canyons at 93 ranking her 16th in the field of 28. Her round also represented a season low for the freshman out of Saugus High School.

Fellow Saugus grad Marianne Meadows represented the final scoring player for COC, placing 23rd at 110. Margie Usrey (117/26th) also competed but was scratched from the final team score. 

WSC competition continues Monday, Oct. 14 at Rio Bravo Country Club. 

TEAM SCORES
1. Moorpark (314) 2. Santa Barbara (334) 3. Canyons (350) 4. Allan Hancock (379) 5. Antelope Valley (442); 6. Bakersfield (NS); Citrus (NS) 

CANYONS INDIVIDUAL SCORES
Sahya Kitabatake (66-medalist); Cierra Coia (81-T5th); Valerie Sherman (93-16th); Marianne Meadows (110-23rd); Margie Usrey (117-26th)

FIELD INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS

1 - 66 – Sahya Kitabatake (COC)

T2 - 71 – Taylor Waters (MP); Annie Betts (SBCC)

4 - 74 – Lisette Orellana (MP)

T5 - 81 – Cierra Coia (COC); Kariss Whitford (AHC)

7 - 83 – Kalia Aparicio (MP)

8 - 85 – Kirra Petty (SBCC)

9 - 86 – Makayla Low (MP)

T10 - 89 – Kimberly Luby (SBCC); Ella Arce (SBCC)

T12 - 91 – Ashlynne Rice (BC); Janet Spears (AVC)

T14 - 92 – Mylie Pavelis (SBCC); Elizabeth Alderete (BC)

16 - 93 – Valerie Sherman (COC)

17 - 96 – Phoebe Bacerra (AHC)

18 - 100 – Ivana Escobar (BC)

T19 - 101 – Kristina Whitmore (AHC); Vanessa Ramos (AHC)

21 - 103 – Ava Johnson (CIT)

22 - 109 – Aysha Coleman (AVC)

23 - 110 – Marianne Meadows (COC)

T24- 113 – Tina Stockwell (COC); Sofia Regalado (AHC)

26 - 117 – Margie Usrey (COC)

27 - 118 – Giselle Cruz (AVC)

28 - 124 – Brittany Munoz-Solis (AVC)

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. 

—Photo by Mari Kniesel/COC Sports Information