Boys golf: Links quartet headed back to state tourney

Sequim’s own fearsome foursome is headed back to state.

The Wolves’ boys golf quartet of Paul Jacobsen, Blake Wiker, Andrew Vanderberg and Josiah Carter are making plans for a return trip to the class 2A state golf championships after top-seven finishes at the Olympic League Championships last week.

Playing on their home course at The Cedars at Dungeness, Sequim picked up four automatic bids and saw a fifth golfer, Liam Payne, place 11th and earn a ticket to the West Central District tourney on May 15, where he’lll vie for a fifth Sequim bid.

“That was our goal heading into league,” said Wiker, last year’s Olympic League MVP who shot a 73 for second place behind Jacobsen, his teammate.

“It was a great season; we were above and beyond the best (team) in the league.”

After racking up an undefeated campaign at 9-0, the Wolves again dominated the league tourney, led by Jacobsen’s 71 and Wiker at 73. Vanderberg shot a 75 for fourth place and Carter shot a 77, good for seventh.

“The weather was perfect, the course was in excellent condition and we had (more than) 100 kids playing from 10 different teams,” Sequim coach Bill Shea said.

Payne shot an 85 and will vie for his first state appearance at Gold Mountain Golf Course in Bremerton on May 15.

Meanwhile, Sequim’s state qualifiers look to improve upon their state mark set in 2017, when the four helped Sequim tie for ninth place as a team. Three Wolves made the second day cut, with Wiker and Vanderberg tied for 26th place and Jacobsen placing 37th.

“I feel if we play to our ability, at least four people (can) make the cut,” Wiker said.