Sweet Home’s boys golfers are showing they can be competitive, Coach Pat Davis said, after the Huskies finished third out of eight teams at Bandon and a solid third in another tournament that included all the league teams but Sisters last week.
“I’m happy with where we’re at,” Davis said Monday night after their return from Bandon Dunes. “I’m not satisfied. There’s a lot of room for improvement. Now, a month away from district, we have things to fix, but the kids’ attitude is good.”
Sweet Home’s girls have not played, due to cancellations, since March 19. They are scheduled to travel to Bandon Dunes this weekend for a Monday match.
In near-perfect conditions at Bandon, the Huskies shot 379 as a team Monday on an overnight trip that included a practice round on Sunday.
Bandon, regarded as one of the best teams this year at the 1A/2A/3A level, shot 340, with Marshfield second at 363, ahead of Oakridge, Lakeview, Cascade Christian, Coquille and a mixed team of players from four different schools.
Freshman Brayden Keesee led the Huskies with an 83, followed by seniors Jake Hindmarsh (85) and Seth Wright (103) and freshmen Carson Smith (108) and Christopher May (109).
“Seth had a terrible back nine,” Davis said. “It was his putting. We just have to get on the green and putt. We need a little work.”
Keesee, he said, is shooting “the kind of numbers I’m expecting from him.”
Smith won a nine-hole playoff between the top junior varsity players last week, at Santiam Golf Club in Stayton, with a score of 50 to qualify as the fifth man on varsity, Davis said.
On Thursday, April 5, the boys played in driving rain at Langdon Farms in North Marion, finishing third with a 384 behind Stayton (362) and Cascade (363).
Stayton finished fifth at state last year and returned all its players, along with Cascade.
“They have a chance not only to trophy but they could be in the mix for a title if they can put it together,” Davis said.
Hindmarsh led the Huskies with a 90, despite scoring a 10 on the 18th hole. Keesee and Smith both shot 96, Wright finished with a 102 and May shot 113.
“He did not have a good day. It was the same conditions for everyone,” Davis said, noting that it was probably “as wet, if not more wet” than the Huskies’ season opener at Tokatee, where they were also drenched.
“We are probably 15 to 25 strokes back of both Cascade and Stayton,” he said. “We could beat Cascade if we put a really good day together and they didn’t play great. I don’t know if we could beat Stayton.
“We’re not far. That’s the principal thing. We’re in their ballpark. That’s the beautiful thing about a two-day (district) meet. If we can put a couple of good days together, we’ll be right there.”
The boys will play at Middlefield in Cottage Grove Friday. Both the boys and girls are scheduled to host tournaments at Mallard Creek on April 24.