Sweet Home’s boys golf team notched a second-place finish in the Huskies’ first league match Tuesday, April 4, at Arrowhead Country Club, and followed that with a fourth-place Wednesday, April 5, in their own invitational at Mallard Creek in a seven-team field that included three 4A schools.
At Arrowhead, Sweet Home carded at 350 team score, one stroke behind Stayton’s 349 and one ahead of Cascade.
“The league is so balanced this year that any one can come out on top at any time,” said Coach Tom Horn. “We need to realize that one shot by any player could be the difference between first and fourth.”
Sisters was fourth with 353, Molalla fifth with 362 and North Marion last with 363.
Sam Waller led the Huskies with an 82, tying for second overall, followed by Sean McGuyre (85), Taylor Huschka (91), Travis Ramoz (92) and Ryan Elliott (93).
“The highlight was Sean McGuyre’s front nine 38,” Horn said. “This is the first time he has broken 40 in a counting tournament. He said Huschka, Ramoz and Elliott “are showing some consistency and just need to drop three to five strokes per round.
“No one was really pleased with the way they played in this tournament,” Horn said.
At Mallard Creek, the Huskies’ own invitational, on their own course, was won by local rival Lebanon in 327, with the Huskies a distant fourth with 362.
“That was our worst score of the year,” said Horn. “Course conditions had xa lot to do with that. The greens were plugged and rounded, leading to many three-putts and much higher scores than normal.”
South Albany was the team runner-up with 351, followed by Junction City with 357. North Salem was behind Sweet Home with 366, followed by Cottage Grove (383) and Toledo (405).
Waller was low scorer for the Huskies, with 87, followed by McGuyre and Ramoz, who tied with 89, Ryan Elliott (97), Taylor Huschka (98) and Adam Matuszak (105).
“The individual highlight was Travis Ramoz, who shot a season-best, breaking 90 for the first time,” Horn said. “Now that he sees he can do it, I look for his scores to continue to fall.”
Horn noted that Waller and McGuyre “were completely disappointed in their scores and I believe they will not do that again.”
The Huskies are beginning to focus on the matches that count.
“Everybody is looking forward to getting back to league tournaments and beginning to fight for the state tournament berth,” Horn said.
Husky Girls Golf
Chelsea Gagner continued to dominate the Capital Conference, taking medalist honors in her third straight match in a league competition at Arrowhead Country Club on Thursday, April 6.
Gagner shot 87 after carding a 90 two days before in a match at Santiam Golf Club.
At Arrowhead, Molalla dominated the competition, shooting a team score of 419 to finish ahead of Blanchet (458), Sisters (481), Kennedy (536), Sweet Home 549) and Stayton (563). Cascade did not complete the match.
“We are a little disappointed with our team scores right now, but with a little more work on the short game I think the scores could come down.” said Coach Tom Horn.
Elyse Ellingboe, back after missing the Huskies’ last match, carded a 114 to finish eighth overall.
“I would expect her scores to drop over the next few matches,” Horn said.
Sarah Tyler shot 167 and Ella Butler finished with 181.
At Santiam on April 4, Molalla again dominated the competition, carding a 441 to lead Blanchet (500), Kennedy (551), Stayton (595), Sweet Home (596) and Cascade (625).
Megan Moser was second for the Huskies, behind Gagner’s 90, with a 142. Sarah Tyler was third (179) and Ella Butler fourth for Sweet Home with a 190.