Five Riverside County high schools compete for individual championship honors in San Jacinto
SAN JACINTO, CA — September 2026 — For three days, the Golden Era Golf Course in San Jacinto became the setting for some intense—and sometimes very exciting—competition as girls golfers from five Riverside County high schools went head-to-head in the annual San Jacinto High School Girls Golf Match Play Tournament.
The tournament brought together golfers from San Jacinto High School, Perris High School, La Quinta High School, Citrus Hill High School and Paloma Valley High School for a unique competition in which players faced their opponents one-on-one.
Unlike traditional team golf, match play puts the focus squarely on the individual golfer. Every shot matters, and every player has to rely on her own game.
And that is exactly what makes the tournament so valuable to the young athletes.
“The Match Play helps to solidify the game of golf for the girls,” said Chris Baxter, Citrus Hill High School golf coach. “It is comprehensive play and gives the girls a chance to play one-on-one. They see how other players play. It pairs players of different skill levels and makes them work for it. Plus, it is just so much fun. Golden Era Golf Course is so gracious and supportive of the kids.”
Perris High School Coach Aaron Nering agreed.
“This is really good for the girls,” Nering said. “They learn a lot by playing one-on-one.”
For La Quinta High School Coach Mark Williams, the tournament provides an experience that traditional team competition cannot.
“It is a good experience as it puts more pressure on the girls,” Williams said. “They can’t rely on their team to pull them along. They have to do well on their own.”
THREE DAYS OF COMPETITION
The tournament began with all of the golfers competing in their first-round matches. Based on the results, players moved into either the Championship Bracket or the Black Bracket, giving every golfer an opportunity to continue competing throughout the tournament.
The Championship Bracket featured the golfers who won their opening matches, while the Black Bracket provided continued competition for the other players.
Over the course of the tournament, the girls played a demanding amount of golf. According to San Jacinto High School Coach Jim Stull, the tournament gave the athletes an opportunity to gain valuable experience while playing as many as 36 holes over two days.
“This gives all the girls a chance to play a lot of golf and get ready for more golf,” Stull said.
LA QUINTA DOMINATES THE CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET
When the final matches were completed, La Quinta High School golfers captured the top three places in the Championship Bracket.
Championship Bracket Results:
- Gwen Caress — La Quinta High School
- Arabella Cordero — La Quinta High School
- Farah Reagan — La Quinta High School
- Lila Elliot — San Jacinto High School
- Mia Flores — San Jacinto High School
The fourth-place finish was particularly meaningful for San Jacinto golfer Lila Elliot, who said the match-play format pushed her game to another level.
“My swing got better,” Elliot said. “In team play, it’s not as important to make every hit count. Here I had to make every swing count. I met new people and it was fun.”
PALOMA VALLEY AND PERRIS LEAD THE BLACK BRACKET
The competition was equally spirited in the Black Bracket.
Black Bracket Results:
- Jaselle Rodriguez — Paloma Valley High School
- Alessandra Rodriguez — Perris High School
- Bianca Benavides — Paloma Valley High School
- Janelle Rodriguez — Perris High School
A COMMUNITY TRADITION OF SUPPORT
The tournament wasn’t just about golf. It was also an opportunity for the community to come together to support the young athletes.
On the first day of the tournament, the Hemet Sportsman Club provided a hamburger lunch for all of the participating golfers.
Zack Hopper, President of the Hemet Sportsman Club, was among the club members who served lunch to the players.
“We wanted to do this,” Hopper said. “Every one of our members was in sports, and when they did sports they had community service groups supporting them. Some of those groups are gone, so we fill that gap. This is one way we can give back, and we love doing it.”
That spirit of community support is an important part of what makes the tournament possible.
SAN JACINTO GIRLS MAKE THEIR MARK
For San Jacinto High School Coach Jim Stull, this year’s tournament was especially rewarding.
“This is one of the best years we’ve ever had,” Stull said. “San Jacinto High School girls did the best they’ve ever done, making fourth and fifth in the Championship level.”
Stull also expressed his appreciation to Golden Era Golf Course for hosting the tournament.
“We appreciate Golden Era Golf Course letting us have the golf course over three days and everything they do for us,” he said. “Overall, this girls’ match play tournament was a success.”
With five high schools participating, dozens of young golfers competing and local community members stepping up to support them, the tournament demonstrated that high school golf is about much more than keeping score.
It is about competition, confidence, sportsmanship, friendship—and giving young athletes the opportunity to challenge themselves and grow their game.
And for three days in San Jacinto, the girls did exactly that.
