RIVERSIDE, Calif.—Lewis & Clark College men's golf's A Team put together their best performance of the year and five River Otters finished in the top-26 across the two-day West Coast Classic. 
 
THE BASICS 
 
Men's Golf A: 2^nd out of 15 Teams – 585 (298, 287)  +9
Men's Golf B: 11^th out of 15 Teams – 622 (304-318) +46  
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 
 
Both teams sat in the top-five after Day One and the A team put together their second-best round of the season on Tuesday to close out a tremendous performance. 
 
The River Otters hosted 13 other teams on Monday and Tuesday at the Victoria Club. The field included #18 Pomona-Pitzer (10^th place), #28 Claremont-Mudd Scripps (first place) and NAIA #47 Master's University (fifth place). Lewis & Clark finished just nine strokes behind CMS (Even), 14 strokes ahead of third-place Redlands (+23) and 27 strokes ahead of Pomona-Pitzer (#36). 
 
A Team 
 
After a strong Day One that saw the team sitting second overall at +10, the A team shot a 278 (-1) on Tuesday with all four scorers finishing 73 (+1) or better. The round was their second under-par round of the season and just two strokes off their round of 285 (-3) at the California State Intercollegiate Tournament (Second Round). 
 
Junior Luke Blankinship paced the River Otters across the two-day tournament. He turned in a team-best score of 71 (-1) on Monday to close out the day third overall. Blankinship added a 73 (+1) on Tuesday to finish fourth on the team but tied for 13^th overall. He paced Lewis & Clark and placed fifth overall with a score of 144 (Even). 
 
Sophomore Mason Hill joined Blankinship in the top-10 overall. He carded a 75 (+3) on Monday and came back with a 72 (Even) on Tuesday. The sophomore notched a final score of 147 (+3) to finish in a tie for seventh.
 
Sophomore Charlie Hageman was one of two Lewis & Clark A Team players who made huge improvements from Day One to Day Two. Hageman posted a 78 (+6) on Monday. He bounced back on Tuesday with a 71 (-1) to close out the tournament in a tie for 12^th overall. Hageman posted a final score of 149 (+5). 
 
Sophomore Joonho Moon made the biggest jump on the team across the two days. Moon placed fifth on the team with an 82 (+10) on Day One. He joined Hageman at the top of the team leaderboard on Tuesday with a 71 (-1). Moon finished in a tie for 26^th overall with a score of 153 (+9). 
 
First year Trae Fredrickson earned the fifth and final spot on the A Team. The first year played a key role in the team's success as he shot a 74 (+2) to finish second on the team on Monday. He carded an 80 (+8) on Tuesday. Fredrickson placed tied for 37^th overall with a score of 154 (+10). 
 
B Team 
 
The B Team was the talk of the field after Day One as they sat in a tie for fourth overall and senior Millen Mistry and first year Brady Gless sat in the top-10 overall with identical scores of 74 (+2). Even after a frustrating Day Two, the B Team placed 11^th out of 15 teams and defeated NCAA DIII University of La Verne by seven strokes. 
 
Gless wrapped up the two days with the top score on the team. The first year carded a 74 (+2) on Monday to finish tied for first on the B Team. He added a 78 (+6) on Tuesday to place second on the River Otters. His final score of 152 (+8) put him in a tie for 23^rd overall. 
 
Sophomore Tanner Moody placed second on the B Squad. He finished fifth on the team on Monday with a mark of 80 (+8). Moody turned things around in a big way on Tuesday with a team-best score of 74 (+2). Moody wrapped up the tournament with a score of 154 (+10) to finish in a tie for 37^th overall. 
 
Junior Kenji Pickeral came in third on the team and tied for 51^st overall. Pickeral finished with the third-best score on the team on both days. He carded a 77 (+5) on Day One and an 80 (+8) on Tuesday. The junior posted a final score of 157 (+13). 
 
Mistry finished fourth on the B Team. The senior put together one of the best rounds of his collegiate career on Monday with a 74 (+2). He notched an 86 (+14) on Tuesday to post a final score of 160 (+16). Mistry finished in a tie for 57^th overall. 
 
First year Nate Loew came in fifth on the B Team. The first year placed fourth on the team on Monday with a 79 (+7). He added an 87 (+15) on Tuesday. Loew wrapped up the tournament with a score of 166 (+22) to finish in a tie for 74^th overall. 
 
Senior Ben Oates competed as an independent for Lewis & Clark. Oates carded an 88 (+16) on Day One. He bounced back and shot an 82 (+10) on Day Two. The senior finished in a tie for 79^th overall with a score of 168 (26). 
 
COACHES COMMENTS 
 
"Very proud of the Men's team and how much they have grown in their golf games," head coach Brad Breier said. "The first day started rough but they showed a lot of adversity and gave themselves a shot the second day.  Outside of a great round from Samson Li at CMS they would have had a chance to win the whole thing and still gave it a run.  A great way to start the spring beating a bunch of ranked opponents."
 
BY THE NUMBERS 

• Fredrickson and Gless both set new career-low rounds at the collegiate level on Monday with their rounds of 74 (+2) on Monday. Fredrickson had previously shot a 75 (+4) and Gless had shot a 78 (+6). 
• On Tuesday, Moon tied his lowest round of the season (71, -1) and Oates shot a season-low 82 (-10). 
• The A Team finished tied for first in the field with three eagles. They also placed second in birdies (32) and second in par 3 (3.36) and par 5 (4.80) averages. 
• Hageman, Blankinship and Hill all finished tied for second with one eagle. 
• Hill led all Lewis & Clark players with nine birdies. Gless and Fredrickson tied for fourth with eight and Moody added seven to finish tied for ninth. 
• Blankinship and Hageman paced the team with 22 pars to finish tied for ninth. Pickeral came in a tie for 19^th with his 21 pars. 
• Claremont-Mudd Scripps won the tournament thanks to a round of 282 (-6) on Tuesday. Samson Li of CMS won the individual title after finishing -10, including -8 (64) on Day Two. 
• Blankinship (three), Hill (two) and Hageman (two) have all finished in the top-10 of multiple tournaments this season. The trio have all posted a scoring average under 74. 

WHO'S NEXT 
 
Lewis & Clark will return to the Pacific Northwest and take on Pacific University in the Pines Cup on February 21-22. The tournament will be setup as a match-play competition with each River Otter going head-to-head against a player from Pacific.