63 Mid-Columbia golfers compete this week at WA high school tournaments
The WIAA high school golf championships get under way all around the state at various sites, and the Mid-Columbia will be well represented with 63 of the region’s best high school golfers battling for birdies.
Some of this region’s top players include the Southridge girls duo of Angela Park — bound for the University of Washington — and Jillian Hui; Pasco junior Jillian Breedlove; Kamiakin’s Eli Harrell; and the 1-2 punch of Richland’s Evan Johnson and Davis Sheets.
Here is a quick look at this area’s kids as state tournament play begins with a first round on Tuesday. The top teams and scorers will advance to a second round on Wednesday:
4A boys
Both Richland and Kamiakin’s boys team qualified for state at last week’s District 8 tournament at Horn Rapids Golf Course in Richland.
Gonzaga Prep’s Alex Cooke had the best two-day score last week with a 138.
But Kamiakin’s Harrell wasn’t far behind, firing rounds of 73 and 71 for a 144 total.
Harrell had three birdies on his first five holes on Day 2 en route to the 71.
The Bombers, meanwhile, were led by Johnson and Sheets — who each had 147 scores over the two days of tournament play.
Richland finished second as a team, scoring 603 strokes. Prep won with a 592 score, and Kamiakin finished third with a 636.
Also heading to state for Richland will be Drew Frei (154 total score), Hunter Grainey (155) and Jace Woodward (161). Max Schuster of Richland (163) is an alternate as an individual.
Joining Kamiakin’s Harrell at state will be teammates Wyatt Hansen (155), Kobey Bates (166), Grason Mitchell (171) and Dalton Claver (181).
Chiawana’s Joel Martinez (77-72–149) and Pasco’s Jackson Cazier (155) have also qualified for the state tournament, which is at Indian Summer Golf & Country Club in Olympia.
4A girls
Pasco’s Breedlove was outstanding last week at the district tournament at Horn Rapids.
She shot a 73 on Day 1, then came back with a 71 round that included three birdies to finish with a 144.
Hanford’s Bella McDermott (158 total) and Rose McCartney (171) also qualified as individuals. Kamiakin’s Reese Woods (173) will be an alternate.
Meanwhile, the Richland girls qualified as a team (Lewis & Clark qualified as the No. 2 team), after they won the team title at the district tournament with a 699 total score.
Leading the way was Emma Almquist, who fired an 82-83 for a 165.
Also joining Almquist will be teammates Dabne McGuire (168 total score), Riley Heidegger (177), Amy Robertson (189) and Siena French (235).
Sunnyside qualified as a team. Alyna Ramierez, Mackenzie Chambers, Jessa Hellner-Gomez, Lily Potter and Hailey Scholsser will compete for the Grizzlies this week at the state tournament, which is the Links course at the Golf Club at Hawks Prairie in Lacey.
3A boys
No MCC teams qualified for the 3A state tournament, which is at Liberty Lake outside of Spokane.
But Southridge’s Aiden Campbell qualified as an individual after shooting 83-81 for a 164 last week at the district tournament at Liberty Lake.
Also qualifying for state is Kennewick’s Baylor Beauchamp (165 total) and Walla Walla’s Sam Lastoski (168).
3A girls
Southridge’s girls took the team title last week at Liberty Lake with a 655 score.
Park fired a 76-75 for a 151 total, while Hui was right behind with a 76-78–154.
Other Suns joining those two this week will be Riley Brandt (174 total), Abby Hodges (178) and Tori Peterson (179).
Hermiston is sending two golfers to state in Nadelie Cannell (171 total at district) and Jocilyn Morrisson (209), while Walla Walla’s Emerson Schulke (210) also qualified for state.
While the district tournament was played at Liberty Lake last week, the state tournament moves over to its sister course, Meadowwood Golf Course.
2A boys
The state tournament will be held at Capitol City Golf Club in Olympia.
Three area golfers — Grandview’s Travis Hoffard, and Othello’s TJ Murdock and Will Parrish — will be competing.
2A girls
Two Othello golfers — Chelsea Field and Mariah Murdock — qualified for this state tournament, which will be played at Tumwater Valley Golf Club.
1A boys
Royal qualified three golfers for the state tournament, set for Indian Canyon in Spokane.
Riker Christensen, Elijah Jenks and Ezra Jenks will represent the Knights.
1A girls
College Place’s Megan Foertsch and Allison Scruggs, as well as Royal’s Molly Klefbeck, will be competing in the girls state tournament, which is also at Indian Canyon in Spokane.
1B/2B boys
Both the boys and girls will be playing at the Deer Park Golf Course, and there will be nine boys representing our region: Tri-Cities Prep’s Delton Bonds, Jacob Gamino and John Marzalek; Hunter Dinkens of Lind-Ritzville; the DeSales foursome of Eli Hurwitz, Jack Lesko, Franklin Magnaghi, and Frankie Worden; and Columbia-Burbank’s Will Neylon.
1B/2B girls
Seven golfers will be representing this region at the Deer Park Golf Course: Lind-Ritzville’s Amelia Court; Nell Dodds of Walla Walla Valley Academy; the Warden trio of Reagan Golladay, Jaryn Madsen, and Lauren Madsen; Columbia-Burbank’s Shayley Larson; and Lauren Williams of DeSales.