Tigers Win OEC Neutral Match, Alone Again Atop Standings; Najera Earns Co-Medalist Honors

OCEANSIDE -- Winning its fourth Orange Empire Conference (OEC) event of the season (out of eight) last Monday (April 24), the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers men's golf team finds itself again alone atop the conference standings.

Riverside shot a collective team score of 377 to win the OEC neutral match at El Camino Country Club (par 72) in Oceanside. The match essentially served as a tune-up for the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) South Regionals Championships, May 7-8.

Cypress was a narrow second-place finisher with a team score of 378, followed by Saddleback (395), Orange Coast (396), Mt. San Antonio (396) and Irvine Valley (416).

RCC sophomore Everett Najera (Corona - Corona HS '15) and Andrew Thompson of Cypress shared medalist honors as each shot a one-over-par 73.

Elsewhere for RCC were sophomore Nick Bridge (Riverside - Norte Vista HS '15), who fired a 74, sophomore Jordan Sams (Lake Arrowhead / Rim of the World HS '10), who shot a 76.

RCC sophomore Robby Melton (Riverside - Citrus Hill HS '15) and freshman Michael Herrera (Moreno Valley - Valley View HS '16) each carded a 77 and freshman Brian Nielsen (Riverside - Poly HS) fisnihed with a 80.

Riverside City (33-7 OEC) leads the conference standings with Cypress (32-8) right behind, followed by Orange Coast (29-11). Saddleback (16-24) is fourth, followed by Mt. San Antonio (7-33) and Irvine Valley (3-37).

Riverside will next compete on Monday, May 1, when it competes in the OEC Championships (morning and afternoon rounds) at Los Serranos Country Club.

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