Piedmont mixes seniors with underclassmen
The Piedmont High School girls golf team is off to a strong start with a mix of youth and experience. The Highlanders opened the season 3-2 thanks to a trio of seniors at the top of the ladder.
Jameson Sanford has led the way in the early going.
“(She) grew up in the game,” Vitatoe said. “(She) has a beautiful golf swing. What she really needs to work on is being confident, believing in what shes doing is right. She can do a top-level golfer, she just needs to believe in herself.”
Piedmont’s Jameson Sanford peeks out from a sand trap after taking a shot. Sanford has generally been the No. 1 player on the Highlanders ladder. 
Peyton Watson smiles after holing a putt in a match against Alameda. Watson, a senior, is one of the top players on the team.
Peyton Watson is next and has been working at her ball-striking, according to coach Marvin Vitatoe.
“Peyton Watson is an incredible athlete with an incredible mind,” Vitatoe said. “She can be whatever she wants to be within golf. She is a high-level athlete, very receptive and extremely coachable. The biggest thing about golf is she understands whatever you did good or bad is yourself.”
The third senior is Charlotte Silver (pictured at top).
“She is the most positive person I have ever met in my life,” Vitatoe said. “She brings a level of positivity to our team and is always a beacon of encouragement. She’s always there to back up her teammates. We have a lot of young players. She took the forefront to introduce herself and let people know it’s golf, it’s going to be hard but it’s going to be worth it.”
Junior Kinnon Steinberg is next.
“She’s going to be a solid four,” Vitatoe said. “Kinnon shows the desire to want to play. She has an incredibly high work ethic. She’s one of those girls that came in and worked really hard every day to try to figure out how her swing would work. To have that calmness to transfer that to the course. She shows a very high potential. A high delta. She’s strong, she’s smart.”
Kinnon Steinberg checks out her shot in a match against Alameda on September 10. 
Piedmont’s Clara Shum tees off in a match against Alameda at Chuck Corica Golf Course. The junior is part of a strong top-five for the Highlanders.
Another junior is Clara Shum. Vitatoe called her, “super-positive, trying really hard. Has a beautiful golf swing. We just have to get it to work for her.”
Vitatoe noted that Shum was the No. 3 finisher on the team in the opening match of the season against Moreau Catholic. Piedmont won that match, 238-255. Sanford had a 52, with Watson shooting a 57. Shum carded a 59 while Kinnon shot a 70.
Next, the Highlanders lost to Alhambra, 243-253. Sanford scored a 42 with Watson at 46 and Silver a 48. Shum shot a 58 and Kennon a 59.
Piedmont opened the West Alameda County Conference season with a 181-209 win over San Leandro (the teams only scored four players rather than the normal five). Sanford led the Highlanders with a 38, followed by Watson with a 42. Silver had a 48 and Kennon a 53.
Then Piedmont split in a three-way match with Castro Valley and Arroyo. The Trojans won with a team score of 189, followed by the Highlanders at 221 and the Dons at 230. Sanford shot a 49, with Watson right behind at 50. Silver shot a 54 and Zara Ashraf shot a 58.
Then, on September 10, Piedmont lost to Alameda at Chuck Corica Golf Course, 235-267. Watson led the Highlanders with a 47 followed by Sanford with a 52 and Kinnon with a 53. Silver had a 57 and Shum a 58.