Here it is, folks, the end of the road for this summer's Year in Reviews. I'm a little sad to see them go, because it's nice to relive some of the better moments from the past school year.

At the same time, what's more exciting than looking forward? Starting Wednesday, July 29 (the day I turn one-quarter century old), we'll have team-by-team previews published at School House Zach — starting with the small schools from the far reaches of Kern County and then slowly getting more Bakersfield-central. Same thing as last year but with a little more knowledge on my part. Actually being here for a football season helps, you know.

Speaking of the impending football season, here's a note we're publishing in The Californian each of the next three days. I'd like as many eyes to see this as possible, so pass it on if you know any ex-Kern County high school football players:

Did you play high school football in Kern County? Do you have a story to tell?
The Californian is looking for you.
In preperation for its annual high school football preview section, The Californian is asking former players to submit vignettes about their memories and observations of the game at the high school level.
Submissions should be 250 words or less and can be about any topic you choose — so long as it pertains to high school football. We are looking for players from any school in every decade back to the Kern Union High days in the 1930s and 1940s.
Please e-mail your vignette to sports@bakersfield.com or mail to: The Bakersfield Californian, c/o Sports Dept, P.O. Box 440, Bakersfield, CA 93302. Include your name, phone number, high school, years you played, your position and what you did after high school.
Entry deadline is Monday, Aug. 10.
Select submissions will be published in The Californian’s high school football preview section in early September.

Now to finish up the Year in Reviews with a visit to the links.

2008-09 Kern County BOYS GOLF

Overview: There was a lot of anticipation for this season around Stockdale parts, with junior Pete Fernandez coming off a state runner-up finish and a host of young talent behind him. But come the postseason, the Mustangs had a couple of mediocre days and left with a shallow feel to the year. On the other hand, Centennial junior Manav Shah was terrific at Seven Oaks to win the Central Section individual crown, and he and Fernandez put on a show with matching 69s at the Southern Cal Regional in Murrieta after an epic hail delay halted play on the first day of the tournament. But neither local player could get out of a playoff to get to state.
The other big stories were on the east side of town, where Highland came out of nowhere to win the SEYL and Garces, after a ho-hum regular season, came on strong at the end. The Rams shot a 380 at the South Area tournament — exactly what they needed to advance — and then did it again at the team section meet, narrowly missing a very unlikely championship.
At that same event, SSL champion Bakersfield Christian took the Division II team title.

Best team: I’ll go with what was the best team all year long, and that’s Stockdale. It’s funny; the Mustangs seemed like they were peaking at just the right time at the area meet, when they shot a season-low 366 to enter the postseason. But the nature of high school golf in the Central Section is that you’d better be good when they tell you to be, and the Mustangs struggled in Fresno during the team championships. Still, this was a good team and will continue to be so. Fernandez was the most consistent player around and sophomore Bryce Keene is the best young player in the county. Add a solid 3-4-5 of Alex Marina, Suraj Patel and Daniel King, and you’ve got the potential for a low-scoring machine.
Honorable mention: Centennial, Highland, Garces, Liberty

Best player: Last year, Fernandez won this award because he turned it on in the postseason even though Bakersfield’s Bhavik Patel had the slightly better scoring average throughout the year. Well, turnabout’s fair play. Fernandez was the No. 1 guy in town throughout the season, but Manav Shah was better when it counted the most, at the section championship — on Fernandez’s home course. They’re both great players, of course — they showed that with their rounds at  the SoCal regional — but give Shah his due. He’s always had great potential and just needed to tap into the game a little more mentally. When he did that, the results were awesome. If he can do thatconsistently, the sky is the limit for him.
Honorable mention: Pete Fernandez, Stockdale; Stephen Harmer, Garces; Bryce Keene, Stockdale; Connor Huser, Bakersfield

Best event: I’ll go with the Southern Cal regional, despite thathail storm. I’ll bet there are people living in Temecula Valley who had never seen anything like what we saw that day: A kind of swirling storm that never seemed to pass, throwing down sheets of rain and big hail balls about half the size of a golf ball. In the Midwest, you get that sort of thing. You’re not supposed to in Southern Cal. Anyway, when play resumed the next day, Shah and Fernandez continued to play really well. Shah hit every fairway and green in regulation but one, but he narrowly missed some putts, including one on 18 that would have gotten him to state. Instead, he settled for a berth in the playoff, where the two Bakersfield boys were the ones eliminated, just on the brink of advancing. Heart-breaking for the golfers; thrilling for spectators.
Honorable mention: South Area meet, Central Section individual championships

A look ahead: The returns of Fernandez and Keene make Stockdale the immediate favorite again, though it’s worth noting the Mustangs had quite a few battles with Centennial in SWYL mini-tournaments (the Golden Hawks even took a couple of them). Centennial’s team, led by Shah, also was quite young, so we could be in for more showdowns. On the east side, Highland had quite a few seniors, so the door might be open for Garces, Liberty or Bakersfield to re-take control. I like the way Garces finished the season, but losing Harmer at the top hurts.
On an individual level, the battle between Fernandez and Shah, the last two Californian Players of the Year, will be fun to watch every week as well. We’ll someone else come up and challenge them? Could even be their own teammates, Keene and Centennial’s Joseph Choi. Also — and I feel like I’m saying this in every sport — watch out for the rise of Frontier. It’s a matter of when, not if, the Titans become as golf-savvy as their league rivals.

Year in Review Index
July 1: Football
July 2: Volleyball
July 3: Boys cross country
July 6: Girls cross country
July 7: Girls tennis
July 8: Girls golf
July 9: Boys basketball
July 10: Girls basketball
July 11: Wrestling
July 13: Boys soccer
July 14: Girls soccer
July 15: Baseball
July 16: Softball
July 18: Boys track and field
July 19: Girls track and field
July 20: Boys swimming
July 21: Girls swimming
July 22: Boys tennis