Bret Harte and Escalon went into the Valley Foothill League North golf tournament Monday with the regular-season title on the line and their big swingers leading the way.

But in the end, Nancy Smith's 97 meant every bit as much as Kirsten Locke's 4-over-par 76 in Bret Harte's 39-stroke victory.

Locke was the medalist and league MVP for the second year in a row, and teammate Shannon Woodard shot an 82 to help Bret Harte post a 369. Escalon was second with a 408. Smith's 97 was better than what coach Rich Cathcart expected from her spot by anywhere from three to 13 strokes.

"We were hoping she'd be between 100 and 110," Cathcart said. "With our two studs, we just need to get around 100 or 110 from the other girls. Any time they do better, we're in really good shape."

Bret Harte and Escalon went 11-1 in league matches, each winning a head-to-head meeting on their home courses. The Bullfrogs won their sixth consecutive league championship with an impressive score at Lockeford Springs, not their home course, Greenhorn Creek in Angels Camp.

"We may play better at Lockeford Springs than we do at Greenhorn, and I don't why that is," Cathcart said. "They know we have that streak, and they want to keep it going. I don't know if they play extra hard or practice extra hard or what."

Bret Harte will be host for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V tournament next Monday at Greenhorn Creek.

Linden will join Bret Harte and Escalon. Individual qualifiers included Sierrah Warren and Melanie DeMarco of Calaveras, Katie Den Dulk and Megan Hoeksema of Ripon Christian, Courtney Floyd of Riverbank and Samantha Conway of Ripon.