As the cart bounced along a path between the postcard-ready sixth and 15th holes of Coyote Creek Golf Club’s Valley Course, Cameron Moeller chewed over the frustrating round he had just finished along with his junior season at Live Oak.
He shot a 13-over-par 85 at the Blossom Valley Athletic League Tournament on Tuesday and was on his way back to the clubhouse to find out he and the Acorns missed the cut for the Central Coast Section Championships.
“We felt pretty good about out chances,” he said. “I just didn’t have it.”
Moeller perked up when he heard the latest on classmate Michael Jarvis, who was having a much different afternoon.
“Is he?” Moeller said. “That’s good.”
On a day in which wind roared through South Valley, manipulating shots and psyche, Jarvis played steadily enough to survive and advance while the rest of Live Oak’s star talent struggled. Jarvis carded three birdies to tie for ninth at 8-over as the Acorns’ lone qualifier for the CCS Regionals.
“It feels good,” he said. “But at this point, knowing we’re not going to make it as a team definitely hurts.”
Jarvis earned the seventh and final at-large berth and will make his second postseason appearance beginning Tuesday at Rancho Cañada’s West Course. Evergreen Valley freshman Justin Suh fired a 69 as the top individual, while Pioneer won the team CCS-playoff invite at 396. Mount Hamilton Division champion Leigh has also advanced.
Live Oak needed to outscore Pioneer, Prospect and Gunderson to qualify as a team. Instead, the Acorns were one spot away for the second consecutive year.
“The goal was to be tournament ready, which we thought we were,” said Acorns first-year coach Mark Cummins, who entered his team in four invitationals this spring. “But it’s not looking like it turned out that way.”
Jarvis played with conscious effort in a foursome that included Pioneer junior Zach Jacobsen. The two battled closely, with Jacobsen leading by two strokes at the turn only be overtaken on the back nine. Jarvis punctuated the rally with a fist pump after sinking an 8-foot putt for birdie on their second-to-last hole, the par-5 fifth.
“Mentally, I’ve gotten better this year,” he said. “I’ve gotten a lot better. The wind didn’t help today. It was really whipping.”
That factored into a disappointing finish for the Acorns’ top player, Matt Jarvis (41.6/nine holes). He birdied his first hole, the par-3 No. 8, then “fell through” to an 84, the low point being a triple bogey on the par-4 third hole. He was 3-over at the turn.
“I was happy with that,” Matt said. “Then I screwed up.
“I didn’t hit a fairway the hole tournament.”
Matt shot a 76 at BVALs last year to join his brother at CCS. Matt suffered a back injury midway through this season and has not been “100 percent” since then.
“I’m worse,” he said matter-of-factly. “I wouldn’t say much worse, but I haven’t gotten any better, definitely not.”
Moeller was slightly spurned after missing the cut for CCS as a sophomore.
“I was mostly focused on making it as a team this year,” he said. “If not, then individually. I was hoping to do better this year, and, in some ways, I did.
“We’re definitely a close team. We have a lot of fun at practice, and there’s a lot of laughter. We all wanted to go to CCS together.”
While Matt Jarvis fought through soreness in his back, freshman Austin Ryder, another of Live Oak’s heavy hitters, hobbled to an 86 on a gimpy knee that will require surgery this offseason.
Marc Noble, one of two seniors on the team, had a decent finish at 84, and Gordon Gunther shot an 86, as the Acorns (419) finished 23 strokes behind Pioneer.
“We were bunched like usual,” Live Oak assistant coach Tom Sumpter said. “Only this time, we were higher than usual.”
Sobrato, which tied for second in Santa Teresa Division match play, was represented by seniors Travis Saenz and Scott Henningsen. They shot 89 and 100, respectively.
That the Acorns were runners-up in the Mount Hamilton Division only added to their dismay.
“We were primed. We knew what was at stake,” Cummins said. “Play well today or you don’t make it.”
Live Oak won’t be short on inspiration in 2013, when the team returns five of its core players.
“I’m happy for my brother, but I’m just waiting for next year,” Matt Jarvis said.
As the sun went down beyond the Santa Cruz Mountains, players and coaches were gathered on the clubhouse patio to survey the final scores. Cummins took his eyes off the leaderboard only after Michael Jarvis patted him on the shoulder.
“We’ll get ’em next year, coach,” Jarvis said.
The wind had stopped.
