Despite losing three seniors from last year’s squad, the Gondo boys golf team has continued their stellar 2006 performance under the coaching of Myra Einberg.

Led by team captains junior Matt Goldstein and senior Travis Ring, the team is seeking to make their first repeat appearance at the state play-offs this year.

With their sights set on that lofty goal, the team has marched forward decisively, winning their first three matches against Hamilton, Carson, and San Pedro by 16, 44 and 36 strokes, respectively. Sophomore Justin “Panda” Nakagiri was the leading scorer in both matches.

Coach Einberg believes that the team can definitely advance to the City Finals, despite facing tougher competition from LACES, whose team has gained four dynamic players this season, and Palisades whose team will most likely take first place in City. “It’s really hard to predict how far we’ll go as of now, with the closer competition,” said Coach Einberg.

Determining who will become league champion this year is also unpredictable, as LACES is in Venice's league. For the Venice team, being League champion is familiar territory as they have attained the crown five times since the squad’s inception in 2001, losing only in their first year as a team.

Since the team's establishment, it has grown from eight players to the current twelve, composed of four juniors, six sophomores, one freshman, and only one senior, Ring. Ring hopes to step up to become one of the top players in the league and fulfill the void that was created with the loss of the seniors.

“We’re a young team,” said Coach Einberg. “Now we’re just trying to gain experience in pressure situations,” she added.

Co-captain Goldstein has high hopes for this season as well, adding “I feel really good about our chances because we are all pretty well-rounded golfers.”

Coach Einberg is also confident and almost sure that three to four of her players can advance to the state playoffs as individuals. At least one has gone each year.