Witherspoon’s 79 Puts Granada Hills in Lead in City Golf

Over the years, Granada Hills High has received a multitude of talent off the bus from the inner city. Football players, basketball standouts, even a baseball star or two. Keion Witherspoon might be the first golfer to make the long drive pay off.

Witherspoon, a sophomore and the team’s sixth man, shot a nine-over-par 79 Tuesday to give the Highlanders the first-round lead at 397 in the City Section golf championships at Balboa Golf Course in Encino.

“His dad drives all the way out here from L. A. after every match to pick him up,” Granada Hills Coach Joe White said.

Witherspoon’s round picked up the Highlanders. It allowed White to throw out an 88--only the best five scores from the six-man teams are counted--and gave Granada Hills a seven-shot lead over second-place Grant (404). Birmingham, led by twin brothers Aki and Yasu Amaya, is third at 405.

Aki Amaya fired the low round of the day, an even-par 70 that gave him a three-shot lead over defending individual champion Young Nam of Marshall, with whom he will be paired today. Nam’s 73 included 15 pars and three bogeys.

Amaya shot a two-under 32 on the back nine. Yasu shot 75 to give the brothers, who moved to the United States from Japan as 10-year-olds, two of the top four scores in the tournament.

Elise Kimm, a sophomore from Grant, leads the girls’ individual competition with an 81. Leanne Wong of Eagle Rock shot 82.

Paul Muniz (76), Kevin Kurhajec (79), Tim Fernholtz (77) and Bob Kendall (86) rounded out the scoring for Granada Hills.

The final round will start at 11 this morning at Encino Golf Course.