Golfers from three area high schools find themselves east of the Cascade Range this week, competing in both the Class 4A and 2A state tournaments.
Golf is something of an oddity in the world of Washington prep sports, split into two seasons. The regular campaign is conducted in the fall, with state tournaments in the spring. Prior to state, a handful of golfers get a second chance during qualifying tournaments. The state tournaments began with 18 holes of golf Tuesday. Those who survived the cut will play another round today, Wednesday. The Class 4A boys are playing the Canyon Lakes course in Kennewick while the 4A girls compete at Sun Willows in Pasco. In the 2A ranks, the girls are at Horn Rapids and the boys are playing the Columbia Point course, both in Richland.
WHITE RIVER
Seven White River High golfers headed over the mountains to compete in the Class 2A state tournaments. The Hornet girls are particularly strong, with six players in the state tourney. Sofia Lavinder, Georgia Lavinder, Megan Cash and Taylee Goethals had earned their berths in October and teammate Emma McGregor was added to the mix during last week’s spring qualifying tournament. McGregor placed second at the qualifier, staged May 15 at Gold Mountain in Bremerton.
Taylor Spooner was brought onto the team after qualifying as a first alternate.
The Hornet representation is perhaps no surprise, as White River’s girls had dominated during the regular season. They won the SPSL 2A Mountain Division title with a perfect 12-0 record.
On the boys side, White River is represented at state by Cooper Franklin and Joe Flanigan. Both punched their tickets to state during the fall medalist tournament and did so in impressive fashion; Franklin won the tournament and Flanigan placed second.
ENUMCLAW
Enumclaw High is represented by a quintet of Hornets at this week’s state golf tournament. For the EHS girls, Kennedy VanHoof had locked up her state berth last fall during the league’s medalist tournament and, at the same time, two others advanced to the spring qualifier. Playing May 7 in Bremerton, Emma Murphy added her name to the list of state golfers, while Taylor Anglin wound up as the first alternate. When a girl dropped out of the tourney last week, Anglin advanced to the state field. This marks the first state tournament appearance for all three.
On the EHS boys side, two Hornets made it to state. Matt Hodgman had secured his state berth during last fall’s medalist tournament while Jaeger Christian advanced during the spring qualifier. He did so in dramatic fashion, needing an extra hole of golf to survive a playoff.
SUMNER HIGH
A pair of Spartan golfers, Alec LaBarge and Abby Burns, are in the Tri-Cities for the Class 4A state tournament. LaBarge had qualified for state last fall during the medalist tournament, placing fifth in the South Puget Sound League field. Burns had to wait until this month to assure her state berth, earning her trip during the spring qualifier.
