I’M FOLLOWING UP my season preview of Port Townsend and Chimacum high school golf by covering the big kids on the block — Sequim and Port Angeles — this week.
A common theme was mentioned when talking to each coach: their pride in “teaching a life-long skill” to their players.
They are right. This is a sport that I will try to play until I just can’t walk around a nine-hole track anymore.
My thanks to these coaches for taking the time to help mentor the young men and women who play high school golf.
They are teaching them how to play and how to play the right way.
Appreciation must also go out to the local clubs that host these players for practice and play.
Have a great season.
Boys golf
Port Angeles (2A)
■ Head coach: If Chimacum’s Mitch Black is the dean of North Olympic Peninsula golf coaches, Mark Mitrovich should be considered professor emeritus in his 26th year at the helm of the Roughriders.
■ Returners: Team captain Jordan Negus (Sr.); Jarett Payton (Jr.); Bryan Schlinkmann (Sr.); Tarren Grimsley (Sr.); and Corey Roblan (Sr.).
■ Top newcomers: Joe Barnes (Jr.); and Alex Atwell (Fr.). Mitrovich called Barnes a “pleasant surprise” on the season. “He’s a natural talent and puts in the extra time,” he added.
The freshman, Atwell, is expected to battle for varsity match starts all season long.
■ Player to watch: Negus is team captain with two state appearances on his resume, and will be looking to make the state cut and finish strong this season.
Payton has also qualified twice for state, and together they form a solid 1-2 for Port Angeles.
■ Outlook: Coming off a year where the Riders “underachieved a little bit,” Mitrovich said, Port Angeles is a year older and more experienced.
Before each season, Mitrovich has his players visualize their individual goals and then come together with a team goal.
This year? “They all agreed they want to become league champions,” Mitrovich said.
■ Prediction: With two past state participants and at least four players capable of shooting at or below 40 for nine, a league championship is not out of reach for Port Angeles.
This year I would expect Negus and Payton to advance at state and maybe one or two other Riders like Barnes or Schlinkmann to step up and make the tourney.
Sequim (2A)
Head coach: Bill Shea (first year) starts a second stint as Sequim head coach. His children needed to see a little more of dad when he stepped down the first time but are older now, and he’s happy to be back as coach.
Returners: Ryan O’Mera (Sr.); Casey Torres (Sr.); Anthony Pinza (So.); and Jesse Francis (So.).
Top newcomers: Frank Catelli (Sr.) and Travis Priest (Fr.).
Shea described Catelli — an Air Force Academy-bound football player — as a “pretty raw talent,” and that the Wolves are expecting some pretty good things from him.
Priest has impressed in early play, carding a 3-over 40 on the front nine of The Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course in an early practice qualifier.
■ Player to watch: O’Mera is a top-10 player in class 2A who has the talent to make a run at an individual state title.
“He is one of the purest ball-strikers at his age I’ve ever seen,” Shea said.
“Ryan goes for the gusto every time, and really attacks the course.
“With a little bit of course management, I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t do at least that well [improve upon his eighth-place finish at state in 2011].”
■ Outlook: Sequim had 29 boys golfers try out for the team, a testament to the strong commitment to junior golf by the three Sequim-area courses, Shea said.
“My goal is to qualify as many players as possible for state, and from what I’ve seen in the last three weeks I think we have five guys [who could qualify].
“We’re hoping for a league championship but know it’s going to be a tough battle.”
■ Prediction: The smart money is on the Wolves to take the Olympic League crown.
Their depth and experience is impressive, and this could be the start of a long run of league titles with Shea at the helm.
“Looking at our scores, we have some strong leads and our 4-8 players are going to be stronger than some other teams,” Shea said.
Girls golf
Sequim (2A)
■ Head coach: Garrett Smithson leads his largest squad of girls golfers ever with 13 turning out for the team this year.
■ Returners: Hailey Estes (Sr.); Elisa Sallee (Jr.); Vanessa Martinez (So.); and Maddy Fisher (So.).
Top newcomers: Caitlin Stofferahn (Fr.); Brianna Kettel (Fr.); Kailee Price (Fr.); and Kaylee Detlefsen (Fr.).
Kettel is the daughter of Cedars member and former Sequim golf coach Gary Kettel.
I’ll venture that he has taught her a few things about the game.
■ Player to watch: Estes will go for her fourth trip to the state tournament this season.
Smithson expects her to shoot in the low to mid 40s for nine holes once the season gets going.
“She’s a real solid player who plays year round.”
Sallee also made the state tournament last year, and will be a solid No. 2 player.
■ Outlook: Sequim is still a young team but its talent and depth should carry the team far this season.
■ Prediction: A repeat Olympic League title is very possible for the Wolves.
Port Angeles (2A)
■ Head coach: Beth Krause returns for her second year as Roughriders coach.
■ Returners: Dana Fox (So.); Sydney Rauch (So.); Kelly Winn (captain) (Sr.); and Chloe Brown (Soph.).
■ Top newcomer: Sophomore Brittany McBride leads a bunch of young Port Angeles players.
“We are still working on the mechanics of her swing but when she connects, she can put it out there,” Krause said.
Other new players are Lanna Hammer (Soph.); Peyton Lee (Soph.); Kate Haworth (Fr.); and Claire Wiswell (Fr.).
■ Player to watch: Fox is the Riders No. 1 player. She and Rauch both qualified for the state tournament as freshmen last season.
“Fox has practiced her all-around game and been playing a lot,” Krause said.
“She’s working on her distances, and knowing what club goes how far and how to manage herself around the course.”
■ Outlook: Lots of youth on this Port Angeles team will lead to lots of growing and maturing out on the course.
Watch out for the Roughriders in the next few years.
“It’s early in the season but most of the girls are right where they were at the end of last year, and they are getting better,” Krause said.
■ Prediction: Port Angeles should have Fox and Rauch qualify for state but the question is whether a third golfer can step up for the Riders.
I think they finish second to Sequim again this year but grow enough to put a lot of pressure on the Wolves next year.
Titleist fitting in PA
Peninsula Golf Club in Port Angeles will host a Titleist fitting session Saturday.
Half-hour fittings will be available from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Phone the golf shop at 360-457-6501 to make an appointment.
Kiwanis benefit set
Port Townsend Golf Club will host the 16th annual Kiwanis Golf Tournament on Saturday.
The tourney will tee off with a 9 a.m. shotgun start.
Entry fee is $40 for members, $45 for guests and includes tournament comp, greens fees, KP, long putt and lunch.
For more information, phone Port Townsend at 360-385-4547.
Spring opener April 14
SkyRidge Golf Course in Sequim will host its Spring Opener tourney Saturday, April 14.
The two-person scramble event has a 9 a.m. shotgun start, and gross and net divisions.
Cost is $100 per team and includes honey pot entry, KP’s, range balls and lunch after play.
Phone SkyRidge to get in the game at 360-683-3673.
Sponsor/play in event
A benefit tournament to support the Sequim High School class of 2012 “safe and sober Grad Night Party” will be held at Sequim’s SunLand Golf & Country Club on Saturday, April 21.
The four-man scramble event will have a 1 p.m. shotgun start.
Cost is $65 per person.
If you want to help the cause but would rather not play, there are three levels of sponsorship available: Gold for $500, Silver for $250 and Bronze for a flat donation.
If you are playing or sponsoring, make checks payable to: Sequim Education Foundation in care of Jo Anne Estes, P.O. Box 1813, Sequim, WA 98382.
And Tiger won . . .
Last time Tiger Woods won a tourney I was working on my third golf article.
I’ve written about 150 of them since then.
I wore a pair of all-red Nikes to the grocery store in his honor on Sunday afternoon.
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Golf columnist Michael Carman can be reached at 360-417-3527 or at pdngolf@gmail.com.