JUST A LITTLE CRUSH—Westlake High senior Chris Doyle hammers an iron shot during a midweek match at Los Robles Greens in Thousand Oaks. At 19-0 overall, the Warriors, with a deep, talented roster, are contenders for a state crown. WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers Local boys’ golf teams are scrambling to find out how low they can go.

No Marmonte League squad is hotter than Westlake, which has the potential to make another run to the state tournament.

Newbury Park is steadily improving, while Thousand Oaks wants to peak by the end of the season.

Oaks Christian is in the thick of a competitive race in the TriValley League.

The Thousand Oaks Acorn breaks down area squads’ progress at midseason:

Westlake Warriors

The Warriors have talent, depth and history on their side.

That’s quite a combination.

Westlake, which finished third in state in 2009, is undefeated in Marmonte action. Seventeen of 26 players on the Warrior roster have found their way into varsity matches.

“Our kids are really talented,” said longtime head coach Dave Costley. “I tell them, ‘Just go out and play your game. Don’t get influenced by what someone else is doing. Enjoy it, root for your teammates and go play your game.’”

Returning seniors Jake Katz and Chris Doyle are formidable golfers for 19-0 Westlake.

Katz, who has had the team’s best scores for all but two matches so far this year, is very consistent, Costley said, while Doyle is a fierce competitor.

“Chris is very talented,” the coach said. “He strikes the ball well and he putts well. Most of his skills are good. What holds him back is he gets a little intense. He needs to learn to relax.”

Junior Tim Snyder, who runs for the track squad, is also playing well on the links.

Brandon Shaw, a sophomore, tinkered with his swing mechanics early in the season and is rounding into shape.

Two freshmen bolster the squad. Brock Drogosch is statistically the third-best golfer on the team. Unheralded Brandon Kelley has been a pleasant surprise.

Michael Dansey, a sophomore transfer from Chaminade, and junior Tyler Soosman also contribute.

“High school golf is about depth,” Costley said, “and we’re deeper than anyone in our league. We have 11 or 12 golfers I feel confident playing at any point. It’s a luxury.”

Westlake is looking forward to the four-day league tournament, which begins Mon., April 26 at Los Robles Greens Golf Course and accounts for 75 percent of the final league standings.

The other days of the tourney are April 28 at Tierra Rejada Golf Club, May 4 at Simi Hills Golf Course and May 6 at Sunset Hills Country Club.

All matches start at noon. Costley, who has coached the team for 18 years, including the past 15 as head coach, likes the Warriors’ potential.

“Last year’s group was the strongest I’ve ever seen,” he said. “We were so strong and so deep.

“If we go out and everyone plays to their capabilities we’re going to be fine. . . . If they get in a groove, they have a chance to move on.”

Newbury Park Panthers

Head coach Greg Ropes is pleased with the Panthers’ progress.

“We’re getting better,” said Ropes, who has coached golf at NPHS since 1992.

“I’ve got a really enjoyable group of players who are improving and working hard.”

Jacob Chastain has been a mainstay in the Newbury Park lineup for most of the past four seasons.

The senior is a balanced golfer who drives the ball accurately off the tee. Chastain, who will enlist in the U.S. Marines after graduating, carded a season-low 71 at Los Robles on March 25.

Junior Mason Atkins shares the captaincy with Chastain. Atkins swam as a freshman, but he’s aided the golf team the past two seasons.

“Mason is a vastly improved,” Ropes said. “He was a good player last year. He’s become a very good player this year.”

Freshman Brad Shiney is a solid player with a bright future.

Senior Donovan Pingloff has struggled since injuring his back playing soccer. A three-year varsity player, Pingloff plans to attend Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo.

“I really hope he gets better after our (spring break),” Ropes said of the senior. “He’s a good guy who’s not playing the way he thought he was going to.”

Taylor Kress is a junior who’s steadily improving.

Freshman Josh Sudman, an honors student, is a competitive player who’s new to the sport.

Junior Jordan Paladino and sophomore Jared Hobbs also contribute. Hobbs, a defensive lineman for the junior varsity football team, rebounded to make the team after being the last cut in 2009.

Ropes, who also coached Thousand Oaks golfers for six years, guided the NPHS boys’ basketball team for four seasons. He has been a teacher and coach in the Conejo Valley for 39 years.

“We have a smart group,” Ropes said. “Mason, Taylor and Jordan are in the same physics class together. Brad’s in honors classes. Jacob’s a bright kid.

“They’re good kids, and they are so much fun to be around.”

Thousand Oaks Lancers

Thousand Oaks hopes to heat up in time for the league finals.

Head coach Rod Stillwell offered a candid perspective on his team’s performance so far.

“I’m not really happy with the way our team has performed. We are much better than our record shows,” Stillwell said.

“It’s unfortunate. We haven’t played to our potential. We have a lot of talent, but it hasn’t come together this year. We’ve had some pretty special individual scores, but we haven’t put it together as a team.”

Derek Larson leads the Lancers.

“His overall game is solid,” the coach said of Larson. “He’s an extremely hard worker who spends a lot of extra time on and around the greens to work on his short game. He’s become more consistent as a golfer this year.”

Nate Fisher, Zach DeBruno, Dane Walton, Yuuki Kurisu, Porter Jenkins and Matt Rion also contribute for Thousand Oaks.

The Lancers entered the week 8-6 overall and 5-5 in the Marmonte. Highlights include strong second-place finishes at the DeBell tournament at Burbank in March and the Lompoc Easter Invitational on April 5.

Thousand Oaks has been discouraged at times by falling in close matches to Calabasas, Moorpark and Royal by less than 10 strokes combined.

“We have such a difficult league that we have to be on our game every time,” Stillwell said.

“We’ve had a couple of disappointing losses—matches we had an opportunity to win and we didn’t. . . . But if we peak at the right time, we’ll still be okay.”

Oaks Christian Lions

The Lions are lying low in the tall grass, just waiting for a chance to pounce.

Their time will come.

Oaks Christian enters today’s Tri-Valley League match at Olivas Park Golf Course in fourth place. Oak Park, Malibu and St. Bonaventure share first.

Sixth-year head coach Tom Placke has enjoyed the tussling in the league standings.

“Despite the fact that this has been a down year for us it’s been one of the most fun years, primarily because of the league competition,” Placke said.

“Four teams are competing so closely. It’s very exciting. It’s not like one team is running away with it. Every week, kids are jumping up and down, figuring out who’s going to win.”

Senior Ryan Prosser is a sharpshooter for Oaks Christian.

“He’s very talented,” the coach said of Prosser. “He understands the game, and he’s as talented as any player that has come through the program—although his scores haven’t necessarily reflected that this year.”

Placke said senior Nick Lyskin constantly strives to improve.

Junior Billy Dallas thrives on his home course at Sherwood Country Club but has struggled on unfamiliar terrain, the coach said.

Freshmen Jackson Sullivan and Matt Maggay are promising youngsters. Sullivan notched a hole-inone March 25 at Santa Barbara’s Montecito Country Club.

Sophomores Chase Winston and Austin Smith are also talented golfers.

The Lions will be contenders for years.

Oaks Christian’s middle school golf coach Mary Sweeney has 48 boys and girls playing. Four eighth-graders and two seventh-graders currently shoot in the mid-to-high 70s, Placke said.

“The future for our program,” Placke said, “looks very bright indeed.”