Kitabatake Shoots 69 to Top Field, Canyons Takes Third

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director 

SANTA MARIA — College of the Canyons freshman Sahya Kitabatake took home medalist honors while leading her team to a third-place finish at the Western State Conference (WSC) tourney played at Santa Maria Country Club on Monday.

Kitabatake finished the day three-under pay at 69. That score represented the fifth event this season in which she has finished at par or better. Kitabatake has also earned medalist honors at five tournaments.

Those numbers have the freshman from Kobe, Japan on pace to win WSC Player of the Year honors. Kitabatake currently holds a 21-stroke advantage over the next closest competitor in the WSC season-long individual standings, with just 36 holes left to play. 

Fellow COC freshman Cierra Coia tied for seventh in the field of 27 golfers with her round of 88 to give Canyons an added boost on the scorecard.

Marianne Meadows (105/19th) and TinaMarie Stockdale (107/20th) rounded out the Canyons' four-player score. Valerie Sherman (110/22nd) also competed but had her score scratched. 

Moorpark College (319) won the event followed by Santa Barbara City College (351) and Canyons (369) in the top three spots. Tourney host Allan Hancock (396) was fourth and Antelope Valley College (481) finished fifth. Bakersfield College and Citrus College did not factor into the team standings. 

Canyons will finish the regular season at the two-day WSC Championships being played at Marshall Canyon Golf Course in La Verne beginning on Monday, October 27.

TEAM SCORES
1. Moorpark (319) 2. Santa Barbara (351) 3. Canyons (369) 4. Allan Hancock (396) 5. Antelope Valley (481); 6. Bakersfield (NS); Citrus (NS) 

CANYONS INDIVIDUAL SCORES
Sahya Kitabatake (69-medalist); Cierra Coia (88-T7th); Marianne Meadows (105-19th); TinaMarie Stockdale (107-20th); Valerie Sherman (110-22nd) 

FIELD INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS

1 - 69 – Sahya Kitabatake (COC)

T2 - 77 – Lisette Orelana (MP); Taylor Waters (MP)

4 - 78 – Annie Betts (SBCC)

5 - 79 – Kalia Aparicio (MP)

6 - 86 – Makayla Low (MP)

T7 - 88 – Cierra Coia (COC); Kirra Petty (SBCC)

T9 - 89 – Kariss Whitford (AHC); Keila Donell (CIT)

11 - 90 – Mylie Pavelis (SBCC)

T12 - 95 – Kimberly Luby (SBCC); Ashlynn Rice (BC)

T14 - 100 – Ella Arce (SBCC); Elizabeth Alderete (BC)

T16 - 102 – Phoebe Becerra (AHC); Kristina Whitmore (AHC)

18 - 103 – Vanessa Ramos (AHC)

19 - 105 – Marianne Meadows (COC)

20 - 107 – TinaMarie Stockdale (COC)

21 - 109 – JaNet Spears (AVC)

22 - 110 – Valerie Sherman (COC)

23 - 114 – Ava Johnson (CIT)

24 - 115 – Aysha Coleman (AVC)

25 - 122 – Sofia Regalado (AHC)

26 - 124 – Giselle Cruz (AVC)

27 - 133 – Brittany Munoz Solis (AVC)

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. 

—Photo by Mari Kniesel/COC Sports Information