Sweet Home’s girls placed fourth out of seven teams in the Special District 3 Regional Golf Championship Monday and Tuesday, May 4-5, at Mallard Creek Golf Course.
The Huskies shot a team score of 432-441-873 over two days to finish behind state qualifiers Salem Academy (318-326-644) and Santiam Christian (419-389-808) and third-place Taft (423-399-822). Philomath finished fifth (453-430-883), Amity was sixth (471-464-935) and Newport rounded out the team scoring seventh with 514-461-173.
Sweet Home, which is a young team, got off to a good start Monday, four of the five players posting personal bests in the first 18 holes, Coach Haley May said.
“We were sitting in second for part of the day, but by the end of the day we were sitting in fourth, by 15 or 16 strokes, I think,” she said.
Senior Isabella Wagner led the Huskies with 99-99-198, finishing 10th as an individual. If Wagner had been able to place in the top five, she would have qualified for state as an individual.
“Bella did a great job,” May said. “She stayed consistent. She had the same score both the first day and the second day.”
Junior Tori Victor was 18th overall with 113-102-215 after getting off to a rough start on day 1, but recovering on the second round. She was followed by sophomore Taelyn Coleman (26th, 109-119-228) and sophomore Lynmikka Damag (29th, 111-121-232) with senior Eleanor Larsen finishing 114-121-235.
Salem Academy’s Chloe Johnston was the individual medalist, shooting a two-under 70 on Monday, then following that up with a 76 on Tuesday. The Crusaders swept four of the top five spots, as Ellie Gladow was second (76-80-156, 12-over), and Alexandrea Willcoxen and Sloan James tying for fourth with 171 each.
Santiam Christian senior Akira White was third with 82-82-164.
May said she wasn’t sure what to expect from her team going into the season, as about half the Huskies were first-timers.
“I just wanted to see some development and have fun,” she said. “And then we were really in the mix for going to state and I had no idea that that was getting ready to happen. It was a surprising way to end the season.”
And, she added, it gives Sweet Home momentum for next year.
“It makes next year a lot more competitive and now I have a vision for next year. I’m excited to see what we can do.”