HOOD RIVER — A “reset” at the turn helped Hood River Valley’s boys golf team members to overcome course conditions and some struggles with their games to finish a respectable third place at the first Northwest Oregon Conference tournament of 2025.
The April 7 match at Willamette Valley Country Club in Canby featured Oregon-like spring weather — wind, rain and a 45-minute thunder and lightning delay. The competition was keen, with players from HRV, La Salle Prep, Canby, Wilsonville and Rex Putnam filling up the score cards. The field included four of the top seven golfers at last spring’s Class 5A state tourney. Medalist Conner Holden, a freshman from Canby, was the 2024 boys 14-15 champion at the annual youth Drive, Pitch & Putt competition prior to the Masters.
“I knew going into this event, we have the toughest conference in Oregon right now,” Coach Erin Mason said.
La Salle finished second and Wilsonville third in the 2024 5A state tournament, attesting to the prowess of those schools. The four top teams were within nine strokes of one another on April 7. La Salle won at 316, Canby was second at 318, Hood River shot 321, and Wilsonville 325. Rex Putnam was fifth at 375.
The 321 total was the lowest for an HRV team under Mason’s coaching tenure.
“They all had some struggles off and on during their front nine,” Mason said of HRV’s top four golfers, who were combined 26-over par at the turn. “Conditions were tough, and no one was lighting it up from any school. I told them, ‘Time to reset and grind on the back as we are still in this as a team’.
“Man, they took that pep talk to heart and those same four players combined for plus 13 on the back. They realize now, not only can they compete, they can win this conference if things go right and we make good decisions on the course.”
John Olsen shot 79, Davis Sheppard added an 80, and Davis Kerr an 84 to lead HRV scorers.
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