Before his golfers planted a single tee into the ground this season, Torrey Pines High School coach Chris Drake made a bold proclamation.
“This,” said Drake, now in his 18th season as the Falcons’ head coach, “is my best team ever.”
Quite the statement considering Torrey Pines’ girls have won six state championships, more than any other school. Five of the titles have come under Drake’s direction.
Barely one month into the season, Drake has proved to be prophetic. The Falcons are 7-0 in dual matches, winning by an average of 41 strokes per match. Of the 10 best rounds recorded by San Diego Section teams, eight were posted by the Falcons.
And on Sept. 8 in the South Bay Invitational at Lakewood Country Club, in a tournament that attracted some of Southern California’s best programs, Torrey Pines posted a 14-under-par score to win by two strokes over Santa Margarita Catholic.
As a result, the Falcons are the No. 1-ranked team in the nation by iWanamaker.com.
“I know this might sound cocky, but I think that’s kind of fitting,” said Torrey Pines senior Tyanna Jacot, who is committed to San Jose State. “I wasn’t too surprised at the ranking, but of course I was happy.”
The Falcons’ No. 1 player, senior Zoe Jiamanukoonkit, the 2023 individual state champion, put it succinctly.
“We are pretty good,” she said.
One stat more than any other illustrates how talented and deep the Torrey Pines team is. According to yattagolf.com, only 2% of golfers consistently break 80 when they play 18 holes. The Falcons have 13 golfers who regularly shoot in the 70s.
Said Drake: “I’ve never had that kind of depth.”
Intrinsically, golf is an individual sport. In junior tournaments, there can be stifling pressure on kids as young as 8. In 15- to 18-year-old junior tournaments, college coaches walk the course wearing their school polos while teenagers chase scholarships.
The atmosphere is more relaxed in high school golf.
Torrey Pines’ varsity team rides a van to matches with the effervescent Jiamanukoonkit controlling the music selections, rocking to her favorite artist, Olivia Rodrigo. The Falcons celebrate victories by stopping for frozen yogurt.
As a result, there’s an esprit de corps among the Falcons.
“We’re more like supportive of one another,” said Jiamanukoonkit, who has committed to Cal. “We all want to do well as a team.”
“We’ve become friends because of how much time we spend together,” said Alice Koontz, the Falcons’ No. 2 player who has committed to Boise State. “Yes, I want to play the best I can, but I don’t want to beat somebody because they played poorly. I want to win because I had a good day.”
High school is a 6-on-6 affair, with the lowest five scores on each team counting. There is one downside to having a team as deep at Torrey Pines’. Some talented golfers practice regularly, but must be told they’re not playing in matches.
Said Drake, who also coaches the Torrey Pines boys: “There’s always tears on the boys’ side and the girls’ side. It’s the hardest thing I have to do.”
The Falcons’ girls’ focus isn’t limited to the golf course. They’re a smart bunch, too, the top six players carrying a combined GPA of 4.02.
“I’m amazed at every van ride home,” said Drake. “They get in the van, talk about the match for a minute, then talk about their English or physics homework. They’re just such good kids. They’re into golf, but they’re also trying to be good students, and they’re just good people.”
Meet the Falcons
Here’s a look at Torrey Pines’ top seven girls golfers:
Zoe Jiamanukoonkit
Notable: The senior averages about 3 1/2 shots under par per round. Come November, Jiamanukoonit will try to become the first San Diego Section golfer to win two state titles. “What the girls say about Zoe is that she can do it all,” coach Chris Drake says.
Alice Koontz
Notable: The senior is averaging -1.44 shots under par per round. She’s “tenacious, a grinder,” Drake says.
Kate Hu
Notable: A junior whom Drake calls “a machine,” Hu averages a little less than one shot under par per round.
Jiamanukoonit sees the more human side in a girl she calls her best friend.
“She’s the funniest, goofiest person,” Jiamanukoonit said. “She’ll find something funny to say about every situation.”
Sydney Kroc
Notable: A sophomore, Kroc averages 0.73 shots under par. Drake calls her “a silent assassin,” while her teammates marvel at the fun that can be had off the course.
“She’s got a go-kart at her house,” Jiamanukoonkit said.
Olivia Richardson
Notable: Another grinder, Richardson is averaging 0.27 shots above par. “She’s working her tail off,” Drake says.
Vera Liu
Notable: The sophomore is averaging 0.59 shots above par. Liu has a sister in the eighth grade, and the two push each other on the course. “A good sibling rivalry,” Drake says.
Tyanna Jacot
Notable: The senior (0.70 shots above par average) does everything right-handed except golf. Why? She grew up in Guam playing with her father’s left-handed clubs.
— DON NORCROSS
Originally Published: September 22, 2025 at 2:00 PM PDT