The Dalles High Riverhawks boys golf team took first place in the Class 5A Intermountain Conference District Tournament Monday at the Dalles Country Club with a season-best score of 350.
The Hawks, guided by Coach Dan Telles, won by two strokes over the 2022 IMC District Champion Crook County High Cowboys, who shot 352. It marked the first time in four IMC tourneys that The Dalles beat Crook County. Cowboy junior Palmer Smith took second place with an 86 and he was recognized as the league’s best golfer by winning the individual IMC championship.
“Our kids played really well today, and we had a great score,” said Telles. “We knew that it would be between us and Crook County for the conference championship and it was close. Today we got them on our course, and we had home-course advantage with the wind, and we know our course better than they do. They had home-course advantage at their course, and they beat us there earlier in the season.”
Hawk junior Joe Codding earned medalist honors with his 85. The Dalles junior Keeler Lawson shot a personal-best score of 87 and junior teammate Kenneth Miller shot 88. Leighton Voodre also shot a personal-best score of 90 to round out the Hawks’ four-member team score. Senior Chase Sam shot a non-counting score of 102.
“I’m a little surprised about getting my best score, but that’s what we’ve been practicing for and it’s what I’ve been shooting for all season, so that makes me pretty happy,” said Lawson, who was hoping to earn an individual state qualifying berth on Tuesday. “You always want to have high expectations and you should always think that you can shoot your best score.”
Based on a complicated golf points system, Codding’s and Miller’s scores helped them qualify — for the first time — for the OSAA state tournament May 16-17 at Trysting Tree Golf Course in Corvallis. The top-two teams from the regional advance to state. The top-five individual golfers not on those two teams also earn a state qualifying berth.
“Joe played pretty good, especially on the back nine and he got 30 points for that in the point system, which helped him qualify for state,” said Telles. “We solidified our second-place position in the IMC. I’m proud of the way our guys battled and it’s great to see that they could beat Crook County, which is awesome. We’ve got some work to do in order for our entire team to qualify for state, but we’re hoping everyone can go.”
The Hawks competed in the regional tournament May 9-10 at Heron Lakes Golf Course in Portland. If they had a top score at that event, then it’s possible the entire, five-member team could qualify for state (result was after the printed edition deadline).
“My front nine was a little rough, because I had two triple bogeys and I had a few pars to end up shooting a 45,” said Miller, whose personal-best score was 86 April 25 at Indian Creek Golf Course in Hood River. “I didn’t have anything over five shots on the back nine until hole 18, which I had some trouble with, and I had an eight, which really messed things up for me because it’s par 4. But I still shot 43 on the back, so that’s pretty good. I was getting bogeys and pars along with a couple of blowup holes. I need to reduce those and if I do that, then I think I can shoot in the low 80s or high 70s.”
After shooting a 47 on the front nine, Codding came back on the second round of the nine-hole course and shot a blistering score of 38. It marked the second tournament Codding has won this year.
“I turned things around quite nicely on the back nine,” said Codding, who had a birdie on the 17th hole. “I think it’s probably the best score I’ve had on nine holes this year at any tournament. It would be amazing if our whole team can qualify for state. That’s what we’re hoping to do, and I think we’ll have a good chance to achieve that goal.”
Commented
Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.