Four men sit quietly in a row, their backs to the big-screen television showing the morning news. They joke amongst themselves. They pass up every opportunity to talk about themselves, unless it’s about golf.

These four City College golfers, all graduates of Bishop Diego High School, are focused on one thing – the SoCal Regional Championships.

Chris Satterlee, a second-year student, said he hopes to perform well while in pursuit of a scholarship.

John Gilles, a third-year student, said he just wants to find a college where he can get playing time with the team.

Eric Romero, a second-year student and first-year golfer, said he wants to transfer to San Diego State.

Brandon Gama, a first-year student and the youngest on the team, wants to transfer, but has no idea where.

No one steps as the dominant voice in the interview, just like on the course.

“No one really stood out as a leader this year,” Gilles said.

Satterlee agreed.

“We’re pretty much all leaders,” he said. “We give each other the same advice.”

In some cases, they’ve been sharing advice over six years. But they also spend time off the course.

“It all started through golf,” Satterlee said. “But then we just ended up hanging out.”

When asked what they do outside of golf, Gilles said, joking, “watch the Kings lose last night.” Satterlee responded: “Watch the Lakers lose tonight.”

“We just bust each other’s chops and give each other a hard time,” Gama added.

Gama is the most forthcoming of the group when pressed to talk about his personal life.

“[Satterlee] is probably a little more mature than me,” he said.

Romero is known for his temper on the course.

“I gotta learn to control myself on the golf course,” Romero said. “[I need] a little more self discipline.”

Satterlee agreed.

“Things don’t go right and it’s over.”

Romero said if it weren’t for his friends, he wouldn’t be playing this year.

He spent last year focusing on school and played golf casually. But at the insistence of his Bishop friends, he returned to the green for City College filling out the fifth of six slots on the active roster.

The men have started to loosen and up and allude to some fun times on the bus. Romero affectionately refers to coach Chuck Melendez as “Chuck Daddy.”

Satterlee said through laughter, “We always tell [Melendez] we don’t like breakfast burritos. But he comes in every morning with six breakfast burritos and they just sit there. And then he eats them.”

The joking stops when the men are asked about regionals. What was once nearly a sure thing has become a serious concern. When asked if they’re guaranteed a trip to State, Romero said, “Not if we play like we did Monday.”

The team slid from second in the league to fourth. Satterlee fell from first in singles play to second.

Their backs are against the wall.

If they don’t finish regionals in the top four, the group that came up through Bishop Diego’s golf program will have played its last game. No more jokes. No more breakfast burritos.

They’ll be left with just the bitter taste of defeat. And this after a season in which players started with hopes for finishing first in league.