GOLF ROUNDUP: RAIN CAN'T SPOIL GRANADA HILLS' PARADE.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer

Nothing was going to dampen the spirit of Granada Hills' annual City Championship celebration Monday, not even a two-hour rainstorm.

The No. 1 Highlanders took to rain-sogged Balboa Golf Course like ducks to water and splashed to an 85-stroke victory in capturing their fourth consecutive Los Angeles City Section girls' team title.

Led by freshman Angela Villela's 5-over-par 77 - the third best total of the day and one of five Granada Hills scores among the top 13 - coach Steve Thompson's Highlanders finished 434 in their most dominating City final to date.

``It was very tough,'' Villela said of the rain, which hit as the first group was finishing the front nine. ``It got tougher on the back nine, but I just kind of dealt with it and did the best I could.''

Her best has been almost always been a team best for Granada Hills throughout its undefeated dual-meet season, which included a nonleague victory over Foothill League champion Valencia - 10th in Monday's Southern Section final at Las Posas Country Club.

``Angela was really a pleasant surprise for us,'' Thompson said.

``We were a good team before she came here, but we're a really good team with her, and we could be good for a while - we lose only two starters next year.''

Senior Alyson Golditch was sixth overall at 83 in her fourth consecutive City top-10 performance, junior Gloria Park shot 88, and senior Kate Andersen and sophomore Cristina Kubota both shot 93 to complete the scoring for the Highlanders, who will advance with runner-up Venice (519) to next Monday's Southern California Regional team championship.

``It's been really exciting,'' said Golditch, the scoring leader in each of the first three years of the Highlanders' title run and the individual City runner-up last year. ``This team has just progressed so much, it's amazing. Now we have Angela and even when I leave, we're still going to be really good.''

So, too, will be the competition for the individual City title next year, when Paula Kerdpinyo of Marshall of Los Angeles will be bidding for a record third consecutive championship after winning her second title Monday with an event-record score of even-par 72.

Kerdpinyo, a sophomore, was one of four non-seniors to finish in the top five Monday, when Franklin of Huntington Park freshman Tori Leon was second at 76, Villela third at 77, Monroe of North Hills senior Darlene Bognot fourth at 79 and North Hollywood junior Lalita Boonnoppornkul tied Golditch for fifth at 83.

Bognot, whose brother, Kevin, was a state finalist for the Monroe boys' team last spring, launched the opening phase of her own state bid Monday, when she was one of seven area girls to qualify as individuals for next week's Southern California Regional at SCGA Golf Club in Murrieta.

Bognot, Boonnoppornkul, Tracy Jang of Van Nuys (91), Mary Oliver of Monroe (93), the Chatsworth duo of Antoinette Aniceto (102) and Hannah Chong (103) and Kennedy of Granada Hills freshman Brittany Waters (107) all qualified for regional play -the final elimination tournament for Tuesday's state final at Red Hill Country Club in Rancho Cucamonga.

SOUTHERN SECTION GOLF

Valencia High put an exclamation mark on its finest season of girls' golf Monday, finishing 10th in the Southern Section team championship at Las Posas Country Club in Camarillo.

It was the first section final for the Andy Raevouri-coached Vikings, who last week won their first Foothill League title in what proved to be the most competitive league race in Foothill history.

``Everyone played great,'' said Valencia season scoring leader Stevy Loy, whose 84 led Valencia at Las Posas.

``We're not supposed to be a long-course team. We play short courses and do very well, but I think everybody shot very well. They get out on these long courses and they all come in the 90s and maybe high 80s, but it was good enough for us to advance once.''

That advancement, leading a 2-3-4 league showing behind two-time defending section-champion Dos Pueblos of Goleta in Thursday's Northern Divisional team qualifier at River Ridge, got Valencia and fellow league members Hart and Saugus to Monday's final.

There, Valencia shot 470, Saugus was 14th at 488 (led by Melanie de Leon's fifth-place 78) and Hart 15th at 496.

Peninsula won the section title at 415 and will join Long Beach Wilson (421), San Clemente (426) and Mark Keppel (431) in next week's Southern California Regional. Angela Park was medalist at 2-over-par 73 for Torrance, which missed advancing by three shots.

- Dave Shelburne