GOLF NOTEBOOK: KANG'S 71 LEADS HART PAST HARVARD-WESTLAKE.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer

Jason Kang shot 1-under-par 71 Thursday to lead Hart past visiting Harvard-Westlake of Studio City in a nonleague meeting of Daily News Top 10 teams at Valencia Country Club.

Top-ranked Hart improved to 17-1 with a 382-391 victory over the eighth-ranked Wolverines (9-6), who were led by C.J. Lee's 71.

It was the second of three consecutive meetings between Foothill League co-leader Hart and defending Mission League champion Harvard-Westlake, which has won the past two titles at the Southern Section's Northern Division team finals.

Hart was third, at 399, in Monday's Valley Invitational at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana. Host Harvard-Westlake placed sixth (415) in the 13-team event, with Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach (392) and Brentwood (395) finishing 1-2.

Hart and Harvard-Westlake compete again Tuesday in the Oak Park Invitational at Sterling Hills Golf Course in Camarillo.

--Fit to be tied: Louis Amira was medalist at 2-under-par 70 and two of his teammates also shot in the 70s Thursday as Valencia pulled out a 391-391 nonleague tie with Foothill League rival Burroughs of Burbank.

Chris Ceman shot 78 and Ryan Smith 79 for the Vikings, who were coming off a fourth-place finish, with a 402, in the Valley Invitational. Burroughs was led by Kevin Crawford (76), Jeff Looby (77) and Chase Dontanville (77) in the match at Harding Golf Course in Griffith Park.

Valencia (17-11-2), which shares the Foothill League lead with Hart, and Burroughs (11-8-1) also are entered the Oak Park Invitational.

--Return to the top: Hart, the three-time defending Foothill League champion, was knocked off by Valencia in this year's first league tournament, but the Indians gained a share of the lead with an 18-stroke victory over the Vikings in league tournament No. 2.

Hart shot 365 to win the six-team competition at Harding. Valencia (383) was followed by Burroughs (389), Saugus (398), Canyon (431) and Burbank (437).

Hart's Johnny MacArthur was medalist, at 2-under-par 70, two of his teammates - Kang and Kevin Lim - finished even par, and all six starters shot in the 70s for coach Aaron Fuller's Indians.

Amira and freshman Max Homa led Valencia at 74, and Dontanville (73) and Looby (74) paced Burroughs.

Nick Delio (71) and Justin Renaux (76) were low scorers for Saugus (8-9), which shares third place with Burroughs heading into league tournament No. 3, set for April 18 at Hansen Dam Golf Course in Pacoima.

--Notable: Santa Clarita Valley golfers Frank Quinn, Marianus von Korff and David Fletcher have qualified for Southern California Golf Association amateur finals.

Quinn, of Stevenson Ranch, shot 74 to gain the second of 10 berths in an SCGA Mid-Amateur qualifier at Angeles National Golf Club in Sunland.

The Mid-Am is scheduled Monday and Tuesday at Bear Creek Golf Club in Murrieta.

Santa Claria resident von Korff (75) and Fletcher of Valencia (76) advanced to the Secretary Flight finals in a qualifier at Navy Golf Course in Seal Beach for the April 24-25 SCGA Amateur Net Championship in Beaumont.

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