BEAUMONT, Calif. – Seven Lions posted top-20 finishes to highlight a solid performance at the Vanguard Fall Invite, which concluded on Wednesday at the Oak Valley Golf Club.
VU split its roster into "A" and "B" teams. The "A" team placed second of seven overall at 28-over, while the "B" team came in fourth at +83.
The top VU finisher was senior Matthew Wilkes in sixth place at 8-over 224. He had nine birdies over the course of 54 holes, including four in the second round when he shot 2-under 70.
Freshman Alex Elia landed in the top-10 as he posted one of just four rounds at even or better on 7,003-yard course. After shooting 9-over through the first 36 holes, Elia carded an even-par 70 to close out the tournament. His round on Wednesday included six birdies, with five coming in a seven-hole stretch. He tied for seventh overall with Menlo's Ryan Bello at +9.
Both Charles Thurston and Paul Howard tied for 11th place overall at 12-over 228. Thurston shot 1-under in the third round, while Howard did the same in the second round on Tuesday.
Rounding out the group of "A" team Lions was Rex Robinette, who finished 15th overall at 13-over.
The top "B" team finisher was freshman Kyle Koski in ninth place at 10-over 226. His best round came on Wednesday with a 2-over 74.
Charles Gulbe also shot 2-over on Wednesday for his top round of 74. He was the second "B" Lion to fall within the top-20, ending up in 16th place at 14-over 230.
Other Lions in action included Rylan Turner (25th place, +32), Chris Dineros (t-28, +34) and Breken Ramage (31st, +37).
Caden Shiner competed as an individual and finished in 32nd place.
Menlo won the team title after shooting 5-over 869. The Oaks were the only club to shoot under par in any round for the tournament, going 3-under on Wednesday. Jack Stark fired a 3-under 69 on Wednesday for the top round, and he captured the individual title with a cumulative 1-under 215 (75-71-69).
What Was Said?: "We had some great individual performances from some of our young players which is very promising for the future," said Head Coach Jeff Anderson. "We played against a great field on a challenging course. We are ready to compete in Hawaii to end the Fall season on a good note."
What's Next?: The Lions head to the islands to take part in the Hawaii Pacific Shark Shootout in Kailua-Kona from October 21-22.
