There was a bit of everything for the Enumclaw High girls and boys golf teams at the Class 3A state tournament in Richland, Wash.
Junior Jake Erickson closed out Day 1 of the boys tournament at Meadow Springs Country Club sitting in first place, tied with eventual tournament winner Daniel Snoey of Camas. Erickson and freshman teammate Tyler Salsbury finished the tournament Thursday tied for 15th, leading the Hornets to a fourth-place team finish. Teammate Jordan Beals finished 25th, while White River’s Casey Zimmer, a late-entry addition, practiced with the EHS team and played the opening round, but did not make the second-day cut.
The Enumclaw High girls, who played at Horn Rapids Golf Course, finished third behind the 11th-place finish of senior Mara Koplitz and Kelly Sweeney’s 15th-place finish. Torey Schreiner finished 36th, while Kaylee Salsbury and Bonney Lake’s Alex Ellis, Tracy Hare and Courtney Bartlett did not qualify for the second day of play.
Both boys and girls tournaments finished with scoring controversy. Scores reported online Friday morning are not the same scores reported here and as of Monday, the boys scores were still being contested by Enumclaw.
“The news is, Enumclaw’s teams went to state and earned a trophy in my eyes,” EHS coach Bob Kilmer said.
The Enumclaw girls bumped up to third place after a Mercer Island and a Mount Rainier golfer were disqualified, but were left in the scoring. Revised results Friday scored Holy Names first with 107 points, followed by Bainbridge Island with 68, Enumclaw with 59.5 and Eastside Catholic and Mercer Island with 55 each. Holy Names placed three golfers in the Top 10 to earn the title.
Koplitz ended play the second day with a 162-stroke, two-day total. Sweeney finished at 166. Katrina Hegge of Seattle Prep won the tournament with a two-day total of 139.
For Koplitz, the tournament concluded a stellar career that included the state title in 2008, a runner-up finish in 2007 and this year’s third-place trophy.
If the boys’ appeal is not awarded, the Hornets will finish fifth, but Kilmer and EHS athletic director Tim Tubbs are optimistic that won’t happen.
Enumclaw contends scorers did not follow state tournament rules when they awarded team points to those finishing 41st or higher. These scoring procedures would also alter the outcome of the girls 1B/2B tournament and the boys 4A tournament.
The change, if accepted, would take a point away from Seattle Prep, placing them in a tie for fourth with EHS.
Regardless, Mount Si, which placed three golfers in the Top 10, won the title with Camas second and Timberline third.
Erickson finished the second round of 18 holes Thursday with a 6-over par 78. Salsbury finished the second day of competition with an even-par 72. Both finished with a two-day stroke total of 150, putting them in a three-way tie for 15th.
Beals was five strokes behind in a three-way tie for 25th.
Snoey won the tournament with a two-day total of 141. After shooting even-par for the opening 18 holes, he finished the second day at 3-under par.
“It’s phenomenal how good boys golf has gotten,” Kilmer said. “Three over par, on a tough golf course, doesn’t win it. Wow.”
Koplitz is the only senior on both teams.
Enumclaw Courier Herald Reporter Brenda Sexton can be reached at bsexton@courierherald.com or 360-802-8206.
