The Willow Glen Resident

Tough conference, but Jags should contend

By Dick Sparrer

Don Stagnaro knows his golf--especially when it comes to golf in the Coast Conference.

Stagnaro is a veteran coach at San Jose City College who has taken his Jaguars to greatness in recent years. So when he talks about the strength of his program, but also the golf in the Coast Conference, he knows what he's talking about.

"The year potentially we have seven players that can consistently shoot in the 70s," he said, "but this looks like the strongest league competition since I have been the coach."

That was certainly true last week when three of the Jags scored in the 70s, but San Jose could manage just a conference split with Cabrillo and Foothill.

Paul Nelson carded a one-over par 73 at The Villages and Josh Hall was close behind at 74 to lead the Jaguars to a 388-394 win over the Owls. But San Jose lost 375-388 to the Seahawks.

The split was indicative of San Jose's conference season to date. The Jaguars are 4-4 for the year in Coast Conference play.

Nelson's 73 was actually a couple of strokes under his season average of 75 and Hall was just under his average of 76.

Shane Giorgianni hit his season average with a 77 at The Villages last week. Joe Marquez finished at 81 and Chuck Bonnici finished with an 83.

Marquez is the only returner from a squad that finished fourth in the league and sent three players on to the Northern California finals last year. In the previous three years, San Jose had finished fourth, fifth and third in the state finals.

Jamie Wood and Jacob Williams, a couple of transfers from San Jose State University, are top golfers expected to help a lot this spring.

"(Williams) is coming off of an injury," said Stagnaro. "He should contribute a great deal."

Wood already has contributed, averaging a low 74 in the first six matches of the season.

Chabot is the conference title favorite this season, says Stagnaro, but he adds, "we should be in the hunt."

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