Girls golf team wins against odds

The Wasco High School varsity girls golf team made history after winning the Valley Championship in Visalia. This was after taking first place at the South Sequoia League Championship.

The girls played hard to take home the win against many other highly ranked schools, including private schools that have more funding and better resources.

Coach Ed Moreno also coaches the boys golf team. He brings many years of experience as a WHS history teacher, prep support teacher and varsity football linebacker coach.

"This is the first time ever for the girls' golf team to win a Valley Championship," he said. "It is also the second year that they have won the SSL."

The girls have been undefeated for two years in a row, making the final 17 wins to 0 losses.

"I'm impressed because these girls have only been playing for 21 months against accomplished teams where some of these kids have been playing their whole lives," Moreno said.

"It's very unique. It takes a lot of work and money to have these girls playing the way they are playing now."

A Valley Championship is the ultimate victory for any high school sport throughout California. It is where athletes play against the best teams.

"We ended up beating these teams significantly. It was not even close. That is how good my girls are," Moreno said, "The way they played that day was very amazing. They played calm and played to their abilities."

They competed against many schools, with about 72 girls playing that day.

"We beat the Golden West Visalia team on their own course, which is remarkable because they know their course. They had the upper hand, and even so are girls played stronger," Moreno said.

To win a Valley Championship, many things have to go right.

"For example, the girls have to be at the right point in their golf game physically and mentally, and they have to be able to play against the course," Moreno said.

The goal for the team in the beginning of the season was not just to win the SSL but to go to the Valley Championship.

"To win it makes it special and incredible," the coach said,

The girls have put in hard work to come out on top.

They would practice in the mornings twice a week, sometimes underneath the lights because it was dark, and also practiced on Saturdays. This training started in January.

In the summer, the girls would practice before summer school and then work out after summer school five days a week.

Moreno said the girls gained a lot of knowledge.

"I tell them that winning is not easy. With winning comes sacrifice. If you are willing to sacrifice your personal life to achieve a goal, then that goal will be achieved.

"One of the life lessons is that in order to win in life, you have to know how to lose."

Moreno said that next, he is going to try to have his senior girls recruited to play golf at the next level, in college.

"I also hope to get ourselves in a position to win the league again next year and possibly another Valley Championship. Our team is poised to be better next year."

The season is over and starts again in June, but training will begin in January.

"In my 28 years of coaching sports at the high school level, I have never been so challenged but at the same time blessed. These young ladies have blessed me."