Call it home course advantage. Call it peaking at the right time.
Whatever the case, call it a super week for Sequim High golfers.
Five Wolves earned automatic bids to the class 2A state tournament in Sequim on May 11 and another four are in Tacoma this week at the West Central Districts vying for state berths.
Sequin senior Zoei Zbaraschuk and sophomore Ryan O’Mera took home medalist honors while Kim Duce, Hailey Estes and Mallory Maloney each punched automatic state berths by finishing in the top four at league on their home course, The Cedars at Dungeness.
The state tourney is at Apple Tree Golf Course May 25 and – for those making the second-day cut – May 26.
It’s the fourth consecutive trip for Zbaraschuk, who finished 21st as a freshman, seventh as a sophomore and ninth last season. She shot an 18-hole round of 78, seven shots better than runner-up Elle Sander of Kingston.
Duce, a junior, makes her third consecutive state appearance and aims to make the second-day cut while Estes, a sophomore, qualified for state for the first time. Estes shot a round of 90 for third place while Duce finished with a 96, securing the fourth and final berth by a single shot.
O’Mera took home a 43rd-place at state in 2009, missing the second-day cut by one shot.
At the Olympic League tourney, O’Mera beat Sam Fox of Kingston for the league title by five shots with an 18-hole round of 73. That included a four-putt hole on No. 9 and three-putt on No. 18.
“Ryan should be OK (at state),” Sequim boys coach Vic Quinet said. “I look for Ryan to be right up in the top five if he plays the way he did here.”
Maloney, who’s splitting time between golf and gearing up for the district tennis tournament in Auburn next weekend, edged Aaron Kasson by a shot with an 83, good for third place.
“Mallory is an athlete; he can put it together,” Quinet said.
Qualifying for the district tourney at Eagle Pride Golf Course in Tacoma this week were Lisa Doan and Ashley Morton on the girls’ side and Casey Torres and Steve Loerlein for the boys. Torres edged out teammate Ezra Perkins for the final spot to districts.
Loerlein looks to get back on track after a sterling, all-league season for the Wolves.
“Steve just had an off day,” Quinet said. “Both of the other boys have a very excellent chance of making state.”
Second-tier players from Olympic and Nisqually leagues were scheduled to join Interlake golfers at Fort Lewis on May 18 with the top five advancing to state.
Yakima’s Apple Tree Golf Course is 6,900 yards of rolling hills and varied terrain and traps.
Quinet said the holes are nice and the course is kept in excellent condition, but oftentimes the blooming cottonwoods are a significant distraction for the players
“It looks like it’s snowing,” he said.
Sequim players will get a practice round at Apple Tree on Monday, May 24, the day before the tourney, to get acclimated.
‘Riders qualify for state
Port Angeles also is sending five golfers to state – the 3A tourney – after strong finishes at the Olympic League 3A tourney at The Cedars at Dungeness on May 10.
Emily Cook shot a 90 to earn medalist honors while teammates Tracie Dupuis and Ev Grier placed third and fourth for automatic state bids.
Jordan Negus shot a 77 for medalist honors among the boys, edging Olympic League star Mike Noyes from Olympic by a shot. P.A.’s Garrett Payton shot an 80 for an automatic state berth.
Three other Roughriders – Terrance Stevenson on the boys’ side and Analis Pena and Lauren Coventon for the girls – qualified for districts and another shot at state. They were scheduled to play their district tourney on May 17, also at Eagle Pride Golf Course.
Reach Michael Dashiell at miked@sequimgazette.com.
