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Golfers shoot for top-three finish
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The Ceres High boys golf team finished fourth in the Central California Conference standings with a 10-8 record in 2003. This year's team should be just as good if not better because the Bulldogs return five of six starters.

"We should be a better team from past experience," said Ceres coach Butch Mendonca. "Everyone but Adam has been playing since they were freshmen."

Senior Ben Martinez is a fourth-year player. Juniors Nick Wilcox, Jeff Warn and Chad Jantz are third-year players. Senior Adam Dusi is a second-year player.

Wilcox is one of the top players in the CCC. The third-year starter almost advanced to the Sac-Joaquin Section Championships last season. He missed the cut by one stroke at the sub-section tournament.

"He's been first-team, all-league since he's a freshman," Mendonca said.

Warn, Martinez, Jantz and Dusi fill the team's No. 2, 3, 4 and 5 spots in the starting lineup.

Senior Aaron Padron, junior Kenny Padron and sophomore Robert McFarlane will vie for the sixth and final spot in the lineup. The trio wanted to play last season but didn't.

"Robert didn't make the team," Mendonca said. "Kenny and Aaron were ineligible."

Six players start. The top five scores count.

"The sixth, seventh and eighth players are always competing with each other to see who's playing sixth," Mendonca said.

Mendonca and the Bulldogs are shooting for a top-three finish in league, which is a realistic goal, considering Ceres has a veteran lineup.

"I think it will be between us and Johansen," Mendonca said. "We should be in the top three."

The top four teams at the CCC Championships advance to the sub-section tournament. Five individuals not on qualifying teams also qualify. - By DALE BUTLER / Staff Reporter of The Ceres (Calif.) Courier