Girls’ golf faced off against El Camino High School to close out the league season on Wednesday, Oct. 11. After defeating the Colts by one stroke earlier this year, the re-match was expected to be close. And close it was — after battling throughout the match, the Panthers dropped the contest by just three strokes, losing 232-229.

Despite the close loss — only their second of the season — the team was not disheartened. Instead, they reflected positively on their performance and are prepared to improve for the playoffs. 

“I think I had some really great shots, but I think they kind of just got canceled out by the bad shots,” senior Sarah Ott said. 

Senior Ellie Dowd shot 42, the overall low score for the match. While it wasn’t enough to fuel the Panthers to a win against the Colts, she still had a positive outlook on her play. 

“It was a little bit of a mix of both. It wasn’t bad though, and I had some fun,” Dowd said. 

As league play comes to a conclusion, the Panthers are encouraged by their progress, both individually and as a program.

“Everyone’s been playing really well. They’ve been just really stepping up in the matches and competing at a really high level,” coach Traci Kreppel said. 

Kreppel and fellow coach Michelle Riley have noticed the improvement and motivation that the squad has put in this season. 

“I’ve seen the girls improve, and a couple of them are starting to go out and just make tee times on their own on the weekends, which is fabulous, that it’s becoming part of their life,” Riley said. 

The end of the regular season has not only given the players a chance to reminisce about memories made this season, but also throughout their years on the team.

“I had a lot of fun playing my entire four years. And I think it’s mainly just due to my teammates,” Dowd said. 

Because the lineup has not been finalized for the Peninsula Athletic League (PAL) championship, those in the running are practicing harder than ever to secure a playoff spot.

“I’m assuming that it’ll be a pretty close competition, probably not like we’re used to,” Ott said. 

Even though Dowd is the only Panther with prior playoff experience, but the squad is confident they can prove their regular season was no fluke. 

Burlingame will rely on their team chemistry to fuel them in the playoffs. While golf is an individual sport, the squad believes they’ve established strong camaraderie throughout the season.

“Everybody cheering each other on, that has created a really positive atmosphere for the team, and that’s just really important, that’s what’s so special about this sport, it’s really positive,” Ott said.