Two Sequim girls is all it took for the Lady Wolves to see their best team golf score ever at the 2A state tournament.
Junior Alex McMenamin placed fifth and sophomore Sarah Shea tied for 15th at state on May 24-25 at Columbia Point Golf Course in Richland which coaches said was a very tough course.
“For them to come in fourth with only two players is remarkable,” said boys coach Bill Shea.
McMenamin neared her personal best at state after placing third as a freshman shooting an 81 on the first day and 79 the second.
Girls coach Gary Kettel said McMenamin kept pace with the leaders on the first day until they pulled away on the second.
Morgan Baum of East Valley (Yakima) won the tournament shooting a 147 (78, 69) and last year’s winner Kenedee Peters of Ephrata took second with a 148 (77, 71).
Shea shot a personal best on the first day, coaches said, going for 178 overall and an 87 and 91. She tied with Sami Britney of Clarkston and Luka Van Der Merwe of East Valley (Yakima).
Bill Shea said Sarah was shooting well in practice rounds, which “gave her quite a bit of confidence going forward.”
He said she was a little nervous on the front nine holes but she improved by 11 shots between the front and back nine holes. McMenamin also improved going from the front to back nines.
With McMenamin and Sarah Shea returning next year along with a core of underclassmen, Kettel said this tournament sets the stage for them to succeed again next season.
“Fourth as a team is awesome for them,” Kettel said. “I think if we can get four or five girls to state next year we have a good shot at winning the state title. Samantha Smith, our two freshmen Madi’s (Madison Uranga and Madison Withrow) and Angela Carrillo-Burge all shot well at the end of the season.”
Boys finish eighth
Two Sequim boys took on Richland’s Horn Rapids Golf Course as state hopefuls as well.
Senior Jack Shea tied for 20th with Ethan Boyd of Ephrata, Zach Nola of Bellingham and Deter Voetberg of Centralia, while freshman Blake Wiker tied for 30th with Cooper Franklin of White River and Alex Wilsey of Liberty (Issaquah). As a team they tied for eighth with East Valley (Yakima).
Liberty won state with three golfers finishing in the top 15. Nick Nolan of Bellingham won the tournament shooting a 145 (75, 70).
Jack Shea, who tied for 10th last year, shot a 160 (82, 78) and Wiker a 164 (82, 82).
Bill Shea said conditions were perfect but traps were tough on the desert course.
“If you miss the green by five or 10 feet, the penalty is a double bogey or a tough putt,” he said. “Both kids were challenged with short shots.”
He said Jack had high expectations going into the tournament.
“He wanted top five, a win in particular, and the way he played this year, he played the entire year under par,” Bill Shea said.
“He had a couple off days and it was disappointing for him but I told him not to let one tournament define who you are or as a player. It’s just golf and it can be cruel. Twentieth in state is a nice honor.”
Wiker shot to his average, Shea said.
“On that state level, he played even better than he should have,” Bill Shea said. “On an unfamiliar course he handled it like a seasoned veteran.”
The boys team sees Jack Shea graduate high school with a scholarship to play golf for Montana State but most of the boys will return to the team.
“We have two freshmen coming in who shot in the 70s and we might not have one guy who goes as low (as Jack) but we’ll have more depth with three or four guys who can possibly go onto state,” Bill Shea said.
