Kitabatake and Canyons Earn Fourth Straight Tourney Win

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director  

PALMDALE — Sahya Kitabatake was the low scorer for a fourth straight event and three Cougars finished in the top-8 of the individual standings to help College of the Canyons win the Western State Conference (WSC) event at Rancho Vista Golf Course on Monday.

Canyons (24-0) and Kitabatake both remain unbeaten on the season despite Monday's tight competition behind the Cougars, who carded a four-player score of 342.

Allan Hancock College (346) ended just for shots back for runner-up status with Bakersfield College (350) not far behind in third place. Santa Barbara City College (354) was also in the hunt before finishing fourth. 

Kitabatake, the defending 3C2A state champion, turned in a one-over-par score of 73. That was three strokes better than both Zan McGovern of Allan Hancock and Aldie Smith of Santa Barbara City who tied for second. Kitabatake has now medaled in 10 of 12 WSC events dating back to the start of the 2024 season.

COC freshmen Alex Downing and Sofia Allard both recorded rounds of 85 to tie for eighth place in the field of 37 players. That score represents Allard's lowest round of the season. 

Baily Fara Lieberman (99) tied for 24th and Valerie Sherman (104) was 27th overall. 

Canyons will next prepare for the WSC event hosted by Citrus College at San Dimas Country Club on Sept. 29. 

TEAM SCORES
1. Canyons (342) 2. Allan Hancock (346) 3. Bakersfield (350) 4. Santa Barbara (354) 5. Moorpark (378) 6. Antelope Valley (419) 7. Citrus (444)

CANYONS INDIVIDUAL SCORES
Sahya Kitabatake (73-medalist); Alex Downing (85-T8th); Sofia Allard (85-T8th); Baily Fara Lieberman (99-T24th); Valerie Sherman (104-27th)

FIELD INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS

1 - 73 – Sahya Kitabatake (COC)
T2 - 76 – Zan McGovern (AHC); Aldie Smith (SBCC)
4 - 81 – Ivana Escobar (BC)
T6 - 83 – Kaila Aparicio (MC); Hayden Hazard (AVC)
7 - 84 – Bianca Tan (CIT)
T8 - 85 – Alex Downing (COC); Sofia Allard (COC)
T10 - 88 – Brooke Montano (AHC); Mia Townson (BC); Savannah Fryhoff (MC)
13 - 89 – Camryn Chapman (SBCC)
T14 - 90 – Elizabeth Alderete (BC); Azul Calzadillas (SBCC); Aly Muncy (MC)
T17 - 91 – Ally Price (AHC); Kaitlin Acosta (AHC); Riley Bloxom (BC)
20 - 93 – Kyralisa Riel (BC)
T21 - 94 – Izzy Brandon (BC); Grace Gelfound (AVC)
23 - 98 – Hailey Berryhill (AHC)
T24 - 99 – Baily Fara Lieberman (COC); Daphne Shiebler (SBCC)
26 - 101 – Mylee Gonzalez (SBCC)
27 - 104 – Valerie Sherman (COC)
28 - 107 – Ariana Duncan (AHC)
29 - 108 – Joelle Hanon (AVC)
30 - 111 – Stella Shen (CIT)
31 - 117 – Ricille Casino (MC)
32 - 118 – Liliana Morency (MC)
33 - 120 – Nicole Lowenstein (CIT)
34 - 122 – Chelcie Small (MC)
35 - 129 – Lusha De (CIT)
36 - 131 – Chlooe Kouyoumdjian (CIT)
37 - 134 – Alyssa Lara (AVC)

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