By Jim Richards

The No.1-ranked SMCC men's golf team returned to the scene of the crime this week and came away with a much better taste in their mouths than the last time they left Nogales' Rio Rico Resort and Country Club.

Led by individual medalist Trent Ka'ahanui's 69-75--149, the Cougars captured the first ACCAC invitational of the year--the Pima CC Invitational--by 13 strokes over second place Scottsdale.

For the Cougars, the victory cleared a big, early-season mental hurdle. The course was the same in which SMCC faltered at last season's NJCAA Region I Div.II Golf Tournament, where they finished in third place, cutting short an outstanding year.

Only the top two teams went on to the NJCAA national tournament.

"This was a statement to show everyone who we are," SMCC coach Jake Harrington said. "Four of our sophomores went through that heartbreaker last year and this shows the kind of resilience that they have.

"It was a fluke that we got knocked out and it's not going to happen again."

Ka'ahanui, a freshman out of McClintock, was not with last year's star-studded club. Playing as the Cougars' No.3 player, he topped sophomore teammates Adam Winwood (69-80--149) and Scott Brace (71-78--149), both tied for fourth.

Jeff Eggen (77-78--155), Chace Nathe (74-82--156) and Robert Murray
(77-81--158) rounded out the scoring for the Cougars.

The nation's top-ranked (DII) team will be back in action March 2-3 when SMCC hosts the South Mountain Invitational at the Legacy Golf Resort.

Harrington, doesn't want to hear anything about being ranked No.1 in the nation or anything other than what's immediately ahead.

"We don't even want to hear about a national championship right now," he said. "I couldn't care less where we are ranked right now. I want to be there at the end of May."