Golf: Runaway title for DeSales’ Baumgart

The Mid-Columbia had one athlete win a state title and a number of others with top-10 finishes Thursday on the final day of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association state high school golf championships.

DeSales’ Emily Baumgart strolled to her second consecutive state title at Columbia Point Golf Course in Richland, winning the Class 1B/2B girls championship.

Meanwhile, there was a solid showing over at Horn Rapids Golf Course in Richland, where three Tri-Citians — Kamiakin’s Alexa Clark and Mia Johnson, and Southridge’s Samantha Hui — finished in the top 10 in the girls 3A tournament. Clark placed third, Hui was fourth, and Johnson tied for sixth.

Over at Canyon Lakes Golf Course in Kennewick, Southridge’s Austin Brown stumbled a bit Thursday after holding a share of the first-round lead of the 3A boys tournament. Brown still finished fourth.

In Spokane, Pasco’s Jalayne Martinez hung tough in the 4A girls tournament at Indian Canyon, and she finished seventh.

Finally, Richland’s Carl Underwood tied for 10th in the 4A boys tournament at The Creek at Qualchan in Spokane.

Here’s a look at each tournament:

4A boys

Issaquah’s Zack Overstreet won on the third playoff hole to take medalist honors at The Creek at Qualchan in Spokane.

Overstreet, Snohomish’s Ethan Castro and Skyline’s Chris Mogg tied for first with two-round totals of 139, forcing a playoff.

Bellarmine Prep took the team title.

Richland’s Underwood fired a 72 to follow his first-round 71, finishing with at 143 and tied for 10th.

4A girls

Bellarmine Prep’s Olivia Benzin easily won the title, firing a 72 to answer her first-round 68 at Indian Canyon in Spokane. Her team also won a state title.

Eastlake’s Ashley Fitzgibbons and Marianne Li of Newport of Bellevue tied for second with 145.

Pasco’s Martinez shot a 78 and finished seventh at 154.

“I started off really out of whack,” Martinez admitted. “It’s not happening. I shot 7 over on the front nine before going 3 under on the back nine.”

Still, Martinez had a strong junior high school season.

“The season’s been great,” she said. “I had a great time.”

3A boys

Brown and Bainbridge’s Sam Warkentin entered Thursday’s final round sharing the lead with 69s at Canyon Lakes.

But Brown came out with back-to-back bogeys.

“I shot a few bad iron shots,” Brown admitted. “I was flying the ball, too. I didn’t think I was jacked up, but I probably was.”

Brown settled down after the sixth hole, but by then, the damage was done. Warkentin remained steady throughout the round and shot a 70.

“I played really solid,” said Warkentin, a junior who has commited to playing golf at the University of Washington. “I stayed to my game plan. I didn’t make a lot of mistakes. And I knew the birdies would fall eventually.”

Warkentin held off a furious back-nine rally from Fort Vancouver’s Spencer Tibbits, last year’s state champion.

“I really didn’t know I had the title until I holed out on 18,” Warkentin said. “When I was up three strokes going down that fairway, I was trying to play it safe and not make any mistakes.”

Warkentin finished with a 139. Tibbits slid into second with a 142, while Interlake’s Grant Cole had a 143. Brown finished fourth with a 147.

Bainbridge also won the team title.

3A girls

Ingraham’s Sarah Rhee had a four-stroke lead going into the final round. She was planning on playing steady and forcing defending state champion Rachel Fujitani, who trailed in second, to take some chances.

Didn’t matter. Rhee matched her opening-round 70 to win the title. Fujitani took second, and her Mercer Island team won the team title.

But locally, the three Tri-Citians placing in the top 10 opened some eyes.

“Mostly my short game was working today,” said Clark, who improved on her opening-round 78 with a 74. “Both my chipping and putting. I had just gone and worked on them last night (after the first round). I just wanted to end the season on a good note.”

So did Hui, who had a 76 on Thursday.

“I went into state wanting to get top five,” said the Suns freshman. “I wasn’t expecting to get fourth. I think I hit pretty much every fairway. And my short game saved me a ton. I made some long putts.”

And Johnson was excited, too.

“Our second-place finish as a team, it was exciting,” Johnson said. “My putting was a lot better today. I wanted to finish in the top 10, and I wanted to place at state as a team.”

Mission accomplished.

2A boys

Ephrata’s Aaron Whalen had a 67 and won the state title at Liberty Lake in Spokane.

Sammamish took the team title.

Othello’s Tyler Amoruso shot an 87 and finished tied for 40th at 165.

2A girls

Ephrata’s Kenedee Peters easily ran away with the title, shooting a 68, finishing with a 139 total and winning by 19 strokes at MeadowWood Golf Course in Spokane.

Ephrata also took the team title.

Grandview’s Teagan Parrish had a 102 and finished 40th with a two-day total of 198.

1A boys

Cle Elum-Roslyn’s Nick Baker sank a birdie putt on the third playoff hole to beat Freeman’s Ryan Maine for the state title at Sun Willows in Pasco.

Both golfers had two-round totals of 140. Maine led after the first day with a 70. But Baker fired a 69 on Thursday to pull even.

Rohit Sirosh of Overlake placed third with a 144.

Seattle Academy took the team title with 74.5 points.

1A girls

Elma’s Lauryn Keating improved in her scoring on the second day, following up her first-round 76 with a 73 at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco.

King’s won the team title with 45 points, after Charis Tsai and Hannah Roh placed second and third.

1B/2B boys

Ilwaco’s Kenneth Sheldon held off Colfax’s Hunter Weitze by shooting an even-par 72 at Columbia Point. Sheldon finished with a two-round total of 144, while Weitze finished with 146.

Weitze took solace in knowing that his Colfax team took the state team title.

Warden’s Conner Haynes placed third with a two-round score of 148.

1B/2B girls

There was no doubt that Baumgart would to win her second state title. She entered the final round with a 10-stroke lead.

She fired a 3-over-par 75 and finished with a two-round total of 152 — 18 strokes better than the runner-up, Wilbur-Creston’s Alicia Johnson.

“It was an OK round,” said Baumgart. “I definitely struggled with my chipping and putting today. But I had an eagle on No. 6, and I didnt have a triple- or a double-bogey today.”

Pomeroy’s Deana Caruso finished third at 174, and her team captured the team title.

4A boys state tournament

At The Creek at Qualchan

Team scores: 1. Bellarmine Prep 93.50; 2. Issaquah 92.5; 3. Olympia 87.

Top 10: 1. Zack Overstreet, Issaquah HS 70-69—139 (won playoff on the third hole); 1. Ethan Castro, Snohomish 70-69—139; 1. Chris Mogg, Skyline 68-71—139; 4. Brian Humphreys, Camas 69-71—140; 5. RJ Manke, Bellarmine Prep 69-72—141; 6. Eddie Abellar, Union 72-70—142; 6. Nolan Backman, Olympia 69-73—142; 6. Kelley Sullivan, Skyline 71-71—142; 6. Sean Yi Thomas, Jefferson 72-70—142; 10. Holden Backes, Eisenhower 72-71—143; 10. Nathan Cogswell, Kentwood 74-69—143; 10. Barret Dowling, Issaquah 73-70—143; 10. Joe Highsmith, Bellarmine Prep 70-73—143; 10. Carl Underwood, Richland 71-72—143.

4A girls state tournament

At Indian Canyon Golf Course

Team scores: 1. Bellarmine Prep 154.50; 2. Eastlake 76.50; 3. Union 53. Also: 6. Richland 31.5.

Top 10: 1. Olivia Benzin, Bellarmine Prep 68-72—140; 2. Ashley Fitzgibbons, Eastlake 72-73—145; 2. Marianne Li, Newport (Bellevue) 75-70—145; 4. Tessa George, Bellarmine Prep 74-75—149; 4. Sierra Kersten, Lewis and Clark 70-79—149; 6. Kelly Hooper, Gonzaga Prep 79-74—153; 7. Jalayne Martinez, Pasco 76-78—154; 8. Stephanie Sewell, Kentridge 86-70—156; 9. Maddie Nelson, Eastlake 80-78—158; 10. Taylor Hartley, Union 81-78—159; 10. Hanna Yi Thomas, Jefferson 76-83—159; Also: 13. Danika Palm, Richland 78-83—161; 35. Macy Robertson, Richland 84-91—175.

3A boys state tournament

At Canyon Lakes Golf Course

Team scores: 1. Bainbridge 70; 2. Interlake 61; 3. Mercer Island 58.5.

Top 10: 1. Sam Warkentin, Bainbridge 69-70—139; 2. Spencer Tibbits, Fort Vancouver 71-71—142; 3. Grant Cole, Interlake 73-70—143; 4. Austin Brown, Southridge 69-78—147; 5. Matt O'Brien, Seattle Prep 76-72—148; 6. Chase Anderson, Stanwood 74-75—149; 6. Aubrey MacKenzie, Central Kitsap 75-74—149; 8. Sam Stiles, Mt. Spokane 77-73—150; 9. Zach Evens, Mercer Island 73-78—151; 10. Blake Cooper, Bishop Blanchet 74-78—152; 10. Giebien Na, Lakeside (Seattle) 76-76—152; 10. Gabe Spach, Roosevelt 79-73—152. Also: 23. Bolton Dauenhauer, Kamiakin 81-77—158; 44. Tyler Brunson, Southridge 82-85—167.

3A girls state tournament

At Horn Rapids Golf Course

Team scores: 1. Mercer Island 100; 2. Kamiakin 74.50; 3. Bellevue 57.

Top 10: 1. Sarah Rhee, Ingraham 70-70—140; 2. Rachel Fujitani, Mercer Island 74-72—146; 3. Alexa Clark, Kamiakin 78-74—152; 4. Samantha Hui, Southridge 77-76—153; 5. Julia Dai, Bellevue 76-78—154; 6. Mia Johnson, Kamiakin 80-80—160; 6. Bridget Standard, Fort Vancouver 88-72—160; 8. McKenna Boit, Eastside Catholic 81-80—161; 9. Nikki Miller, Kennedy Catholic 79-83—162; 10. Jennifer Kim, Auburn Riverside 83-80—163. Also: 16. Lacy Skwarek, Hanford 88-83—171.

1A boys state tournament

At Sun Willows Golf Course

Team scores: 1. Seattle Academy 74.5; 2. Cle Elum-Roslyn 71; 3. Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) 52.50.

Top 10: 1. Nick Baker, Cle Elum-Roslyn 71-69—140 (won playoff); 1. Ryan Maine, Freeman 70-70—140; 3. Rohit Sirosh, Overlake 72-72—144; 4. Aaron Holliday, Klahowya 77-70—147; 5. Jackson Lone, The Bush School 71-78—149; 5. Clayton Rajewich, King's Way Christian 73-76—149; 7. JackRyan O'Neil, King's 75-75—150; 8. Simon Nielsen, Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) 78-73—151; 8. Derrick Phelps, Zillah 79-72—151; 10. Lincoln Olson, Lynden Christian 76-76—152.

1A girls state tournament

At Sun Willows Golf Course

Team scores: 1. King’s 45; 2. South Whidbey 39; 3. Highland 27.

Top 10: 1. Lauryn Keating, Elma 76-73—149; 2. Charis Tsai, King's 78-77—155; 3. Hannah Roh, King's 81-76—157; 4. Lucy Mitchum, Highland 78-89—167; 5. Tarra Moore, South Whidbey 87-81—168; 6. Christine Fields, Coupeville 83-86—169; 7. Rosie Portillo, South Whidbey 84-86—170; 8. Hanna Boyd, Cascade Christian 84-89—173; 8. Hannah Hughes, Seattle Academy 85-88—173; 8. Casey Jackson, Chelan 89-84—173; 8. McKenna Kendall, Klahowya 87-86—173.

1B/2B boys state tournament

At Columbia Point Golf Course

Team scores: 1. Colfax 57.5; 2. Ilwaco 35; 3. Pomeroy 33.

Top 10: 1. Kenneth Sheldon, Ilwaco 72-72—144; 2. Hunter Weitze, Colfax 73-73—146; 3. Conner Haynes, Warden 73-75—148; 4. Palmer Guhlke, Davenport 74-77—151; 5. Sawyer Spackman, St. George's 77-75—152; 6. Cayden Field, Tonasket 79-77—156; 7. Devon Caruso, Pomeroy 78-79—157; 8. Kasey Johnson, Colfax 81-78—159; 9. Chance Weitze, Colfax 79-81—160; 10. Nicholas Betrozoff, Willapa Valley 83 -78—161; Also: 13 Scott Kimball, DeSales 81-84—165.

1B/2B girls state tournament

At Columbia Point Golf Course

Team scores: 1. Pomeroy 16; 2. Northwest Christian (Colbert) 11.5.

1. Emily Baumgart, DeSales 77-75—152; 2. Alicia Johnson, Wilbur-Creston 88-82—170; 3. Deana Caruso, Pomeroy 86-88—174; 4. Kaysa Panke, Davenport 91-87—178; 5. Shaylee Felker, Almira Coulee Hartline 90-89—179; 6. Taylor Mitchell, St. George's 94-92—186; 7. Hannah Allen, Northwest Christian (Colbert) 98-92—190; 7. Aslyn Fisher, Ilwaco 96-94—190; 9. Tessa Jantz, Lind-Ritzville-Sprague 95-96—191; 9. Jordyn Smith, Oroville 98-93—191.

This story was originally published May 28, 2015 at 11:10 PM with the headline "Golf: Runaway title for DeSales’ Baumgart."