Rain came down by the bucketful last week during the two-day district golf tournament at Bremerton’s Gold Mountain Golf Club.
The steady rain, however, didn’t slow down Kentridge star Lauren Sewell or Kentwood’s boys and girls teams.
Sewell, a senior, battled through the inclement weather with ease, carding a two-day total of 141 (69 and 72) to capture her second consecutive district championship. The Kentridge senior proved undaunted by the rain, winning the title by eight strokes over Kentwood’s Rui Li (78-71 for 149). Decatur’s Amanda Beyke finished a distant third (77-73, 150) followed by Tahoma’s Amanda Fairweather (78-78, 156).
“I wasn’t too frustrated (by the weather) because it has rained at district before,” said Sewell, who will play at Oregon State University next year on a 70 percent scholarship. “I’ve played in really bad conditions before, so I guess I am kind of used to it since I am from a rainy area.”
The rain, which was particularly bad on the first day but let up on the second, didn’t have much of an impact on the Kentwood boys or girls, either.
The Kentwood boys won its third straight district crown with 464 strokes. The Conquerors were followed by Puyallup (475), Tahoma (492) and Beamer (493). Kentridge, behind Sean McMullen’s fourth-place finish, took seventh with 508 strokes.
“We are living pretty high,” said Kentwood coach Kevin Hagen.
Like the boys, the Kentwood girls continued to excel, bringing home the district title with 558 strokes. The Conquerors, who won the South Puget Sound League North Division crown with a perfect 10-0 record, were followed by Kentridge (588), Decatur (596) and Kentlake (598). Li’s second-place finish led the Conquerors, who also received strong performances from Erika Vossbeck (7th), Chelsea Brossard (14th) and Ravae Canas (21st).
The top 19 to 21 players from both the boys and girls tournaments advance to the state tournament, which is slated for May 25-26 in Kennewick and Pasco. The boys will play at Kennewick’s Canyon Lakes Golf Course while the girls will play at Sun Willows in Pasco. The official number of how many golfers from the district tournament advance to state won’t be decided upon until the spring, though it’s typically between 19 and 21.
Sewell will be joined at state by teammate Hannah Kim, who brought home 17th place. Meanwhile, Li, Vossbeck, Brossard and possibly Canas, who is on the bubble, will represent the Conquerors at state. Kentlake’s Lindsey Douglas (11th) and Kelli Wyatt (15th) also punched state tickets while the fate of teammate Alyssa Scott (20th) hasn’t been decided.
One player nowhere near the bubble was Kent Hagen, who led the Kentwood boys with a second-place finish after carding a two-day total of 145. Hagen, who was tied for the lead after one day, fell just short of district champion Vinny Murphy (141) of Puyallup.
“I’m happy with it,” said Hagen. “But just knowing that I left like 10 shots out there … I just let (the title) get away from me. A lot of putts could have fallen. For how many shots I left out there, I think I could have easily had (the title).”
On a whole, however, it was a strong overall tournament for the Conquerors, who will advance three other golfers to state: Riley Kuranishi (5th), Tom Zavada (7th) and Danny Peterson (16th). Of course, the Conquerors would not have been able to bag the district crown had it not also been for Ben Cox (22nd) and Dominic Denby (30th), both of whom came away with some valuable team points.
“It was great,” Kent Hagen said. “It was fun to have six seniors this year and for everyone to play really well. It’s the greatest thing in the world.”
Along with McMullen, Kentridge’s Ahren Young (16th) also earned a state berth.
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