Piedmont High School’s girls golf team has qualified for the North Coast Section Division 2 tournament on Oct. 28 at Rooster Run Golf Club in Petaluma.
The Highlanders are one of 14 teams that qualified for the tournament. They got in thanks to their second-place performance at the Oct. 21 West Alameda County Conference tournament at Monarch Bay Golf Club in San Leandro. Bishop O’Dowd won the team championship with a score of 197. Piedmont shot 263.
In addition, Mei Assalian shot an 87 at the tournament to finish ninth overall. She made the all-WACC team for the third consecutive year.
“I’m excited,” she said. “I played NCS two years ago and I had a fun time.” Assalian said she missed a few shots on the day but was happy the team qualified. “I had a few holes where I missed a shot,” she said. “I did have a few good holes too. It was a little inconsistent.” She also said she was happy to play in a group with friends at the WACC tournament including Bishop O’Dowd’s Sydney Silva and Alameda’s Pepper Chai.
Assalian, a senior, said she is still working on several aspects of her game. “Fairway woods, solidifying my short game,” she said. “Getting my chips closer and my long putts closer. Throughout my season, I feel like I’ve made pretty good progress. There are some holes that two years ago I couldn’t get it up as far and I’m stronger now.”
Assalian will be joined by teammates Mackenzie Seto-Nguyen, Peyton Watson, Charlotte Silver and Jameson Sanford. The NCS tournament will start at 9 a.m. with a shotgun start.
The teams will compete for the team championship. The top 18 individual finishers will qualify for the NCS Division 1 tournament on Nov. 4 at Paradise Valley Golf Course in Fairfield.
On Oct. 16, Piedmont split with Alameda and San Leandro. The Hornets shot 213, the Highlanders 259 and the Pirates 314. Assalian shot a 43, Seto-Ngyuen 48, Watson 53, and Sanford and Gracie Anne Hatchell 57.
On Oct. 14, Assalian took third at the Antioch Invitational, shooting an 81. That was third behind Dublin’s Callie McLoughlin, who shot a 72. Piedmont’s team finished second at 393, behind the Gaels, who shot 335.
On Oct. 9, Piedmont beat Arroyo in WACC play, 273-303.
On Sept. 25, Piedmont defeated Berkeley and lost to Castro Valley in a three-way WACC match. The Highlanders scored 229 while Berkeley recorded a 268 and Castro Valley had 216.
On Sept. 18, Piedmont beat San Leandro and lost to Alameda. The scores were Alameda 242, the Highlanders 262 and San Leandro 307.