The Santa Margarita High School Eagles didn’t just produce the individual champion in Emily Song — they put on a team clinic, clinching the CIF-SCGA SoCal Girls HS Championship for the third time in as many seasons at Los Serranos GC.
The Eagles’ strength across the lineup was on full display, with cerebral performances from everyone. Emily Song’s brilliant 67 (-7) was not the only standout score. Donina Zhou contributed a clutch 71 (-3), including a scorching 34 (-2) on the front nine, while Angelina Tao delivered a steady 73 (-1). Annika Raja came in with a 75 (+1) while Samantha Daniels, who won individual medalist honors at sectional qualifying, strung together a solid 76 (+2) to seal the deal for Santa Margarita’s team score.
“We’re fortunate to have a deep roster,” Head Coach Jill Hegna said. “Last year it was Donina [Zhou]. This year it was Emily [Song]. Last week it was Samantha Daniels, who shot a course record at Temecula.”
Song started her round on the par-5 15th hole and immediately converted two birdies to start.
"I started off pretty hot, and I think that helped me get into the flow," Song said. “For the rest of the round, it was pretty good too.”
She cashed in on another par-5 scoring opportunity - the 18th hole - to improve to three-under through four holes.
"I wasn’t thinking much about my score,” Song admitted. “I didn’t look at the leaderboard at all, so I was just thinking about hitting my shot."
She continued to apply pressure with two more birdies on the first and third holes to get to five-under and embed herself in the top-five, trailing by a pair of strokes to catch the lead. The birdies had become less prevalent, however, as Song would shoot even-par through the next nine holes.
But her consistency would pay off. The leader, sitting at seven-under, lost a pair of strokes in that nine-hole stretch, allowing Song to creep into a tie for first place as the field was approaching its final two holes. For Song, that meant two par-fives (Holes 13 and 14) and two scoring opportunities to prevent a playoff.
She converted both of them, marking a perfect 6 birdies over the 6 par-5's she faced.
"On the last two holes, I had the chance to birdie, so I was glad I was able to catch those,” Song said.
Beyond her individual brilliance, Emily credited her team for their unwavering support throughout the season. “I’m just really excited to be with my team because my team is always there to help me and support me. We’ve always been hyping each other up—it’s such a fun experience.”
Hegna beamed with pride as she reflected on her team’s chemistry and depth. “They all just bring out the best in each other,” Hegna said. “It’s a different group this year—I’ve got two freshmen here—and on any given day, it’s great that they try and all pull together.”
Song's winning round, highlighted by a bogey-free front nine (34) and a blistering back nine (33), capped an impressive day of competition against a strong field. “The competition was pretty strong, so yeah, I’m really excited that I’m able to take home the title,” Song said.
INDIVIDUAL STATE QUALIFIERS
- Gigi Gunasayan, Arroyo Grande
- Juliet Oh, Diamond Bar
- Vivi Yen, Walnut
- Kandice Chuang, Buckley
- Kristina Xu, Claremont
- Rina Kawasaki, Palos Verdes
- Alexis Faieta, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks)
- Anna Song, Palisades
