In their final league match of the season at home on Tuesday, the Orcas Golf team battled hard. The boys’ team brought their ‘A’ game but fell by four stokes to LaConner. The girls’ team scored an easy win.
“We played a tough match at our home final,” said coach Bobby Olmsted. “All of our players did a great job in this match.”
In a rematch at the League Championships on Thursday at the Avalon course in Burlington, Orcas put up some season’s best scores. The boys’ team fell by only three stokes to Friday Harbor in the 18-hole tournament. The girls’ team was named League Champions for the sixth year.
“At the championship at Avalon the players put up some scores that I am really pleased with,” said Olmsted. “It shows the hard work, the putting and chipping drills and all of the work on their short game has paid off.”
Anthony Ghazel led the boys’ team with 78, followed by Taylor Diepenbrcok with 81, Henri Bredouw with 85 and Roy Miller with 87. Melissa Moran-Hodge was the low scorer for the girls’ team, followed by Cetacea Stanton and Maddy Smith with 53. “It was a fantastic job by Anthony, Taylor, Henry, Roy, Melissa, Cetacea and Maddy,” said Olmsted.
So many Orcas boys qualified for the Quad-District State qualifying match that coach Olmsted held a two-day play-off between Joe Boucher and Chris Troutman. Boucher won and will be the sixth seed on the team. Troutman will be the alternate.
The District roster is Melissa Moran-Hodge, Ceteaca Stanton, Maddy Smith, Anthony Ghazel, Taylor Diepenbrock, Henri Bredouw, Roy Miller, Alan Coe and Joe Boucher.
“I like our chances at districts,” said Olmsted. “This team has come together at the right time and they are still working very hard.”
The State qualifying match is May 7 to 8 at The Gallery course in Oak Harbor. The Vikings hope to qualify as many as nine players for the State Championship later this month.