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CHS boys golf vying for third straight conference title
garycondit
Ceres Highs reigning Western Athletic Conference champion varsity boys golf team returns four of its top six players from a year ago, including 2017 league MVP Gary Condit (pictured). - photo by DALE BUTLER/The Courier

Ceres High's varsity boys golf team plans to continue its run of dominance against Western Athletic Conference competition this spring.

The Bulldogs will be vying for their third consecutive WAC overall championship.

"We got the talent to win it again," Ceres High junior/2017 conference Most Valuable Player Gary Condit said. "It would be a huge letdown if we didn't come in first."

The Bulldog return five players from last season's team, including Condit, Jake Nevarez (Sr.), Jaden Panyanouvong (Jr.), Braden Hurst (Jr.) and Haydon Swanson (So.).

Condit won the league MVP award in decisive fashion a season ago.

He shot a 3-over-par 75 to lead all golfers at the WAC year-end tourney.

Gary also placed first in 2016.

"It's fun to walk on a course and everyone kind of fears me," Condit said. "But I don't get caught up in that. I'm more focused on the team. The main goal is to win league. There's always pressure. You have to try to block it out as much as you can."

Nevarez, Panyanouvong and Hurst all earned first-team, all-conference honors last spring.

Visanoukone Homsombath (Fr.) and Diego Fernandez (So.) are newcomers.

"We're very blessed," said Scott Smith, who along with John Busssard, will serve as co-head coaches of this year's team. "We inherited a group that knows how to play already. They know how to win. They have their routine. We have to develop the younger guys a little more."

Scott and Gary's father Chad played golf together at Ceres High in 1984.

"At the end of the season, I'll ask coach Smith who was better, me or my dad," Gary said.

When asked if the Bulldogs would make a deep run in the playoffs, Condit said: "We need to focus on winning league first and not get ahead of ourselves."

Ceres High defended its WAC title in 2017.

The Bulldogs won all six cluster meets and took first at the WAC year-end tournament (422).

Ceres High participated in the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs for the seventh consecutive year.

The Bulldogs placed fifth at the Division-IV tournament for the second straight season.

"It's been great to help put Ceres High's boys golf program on the map," Condit said. "It's a little bit of a dynasty. I hope it continues."