By Michael Carman
Peninsula Daily News
SEQUIM — A little local knowledge went a long way for Sequim golfers Blake Wiker and Alex McMenamin as the pair won individual boys and girls titles at the Olympic League Championships at Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course.
Playing on their home course, Wiker tied for first with teammate Paul Jacobsen after each shot rounds of 1-over-par 73.
Wiker birdied the first playoff hole, Cedars’ No. 1 hole, to claim the league championship.
“Blake knocked in a 15-foot birdie putt from the fringe,” Wolves coach Bill Shea said.
“And Paul just missed an 18-foot birdie putt. Having the playoff decided by a birdie really speaks to how well they played.”
Olympic’s C.J. Lagat finished one stroke behind, and Sequim’s Andrew Vanderberg was fourth with a 75.
The top seven boys and girls qualified for their respective state tournaments May 23-24 in Spokane. The boys Class 2A event will be held at the Creek at Qualchan while the girls event will be played at Indian Canyon.
Those who finished eighth through 16th have one more chance to make the state tournament at the West Central District Tournament at Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton on Tuesday, May 16.
That includes Port Angeles’ Mathew Locke who shot an 82 to finish ninth.
“Mathew kept his patience and worked through a couple of rough spots to move on to districts with an 82,” Roughriders boys coach Gil Stockton said. “He played some terrific golf today.”
The Wolves’ Josiah Carter also earned a spot at districts after shooting an 84 to wind up 13th.
Port Angeles’ Logan Kovalenko (89) birdied the second hole of a playoff against Sequim’s Liam Payne and Jarritt Allen for the 16th and final spot at districts.
“Logan hit a career fairway bunker shot from about 150 yards to about 30 feet and rolled in his birdie putt,” Stockton said.
“Little doubt that his sand shot will be a something he remembers for the rest of his life. I am very proud of the way this team finished their season.”
Payne and Allen will serve as alternates.
“It was a really fun day watching them play so well,” Shea said of all of his golfers.
On the girls side, McMenamin edged teammate Sarah Shea (78) by one stroke to win her third consecutive Olympic League championship and qualify for state for the fourth straight season.
Shea also will be making a return trip to state.
Sequim’s Samantha Smith shot a 99 to finish 11th and qualify for districts and teammate Christiana Hoesel will be the girls alternate at districts after shooting a 112.
Port Angeles will have two girls golfers at districts. Gillian Elofson (107) finished 14th and Haylie Goudie (109) was 16th.
1A district qualifiers
Port Townsend’s Patrick Morton finished sixth overall to qualify for the Class 1A West Central District Tournament also at Gold Mountain Golf Club on Tuesday, May 16.
Class 1A Olympic League golfers can’t qualify for state at the league tournament and must make state by finishing in the top 15 (boys) and top nine (girls) at the district tournament.
Redhawk teammates Jacob Madison (93) and Caleb Johnson (100) also qualified for district play.
Logan Storm shot an 83 to lead Chimacum’s district qualifiers. His Cowboy teammates Nate Miller (101), Cooper Bartl (113) also qualified, and Sean Storey (126) is an alternate for Chimacum.
Port Townsend’s Mackenzie Lake qualified on the girls side after finishing fourth with a round of 111.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Patrick Morton of Port Townsend putts on the 10th green at The Cedars at Dungeness near Sequim during Tuesday’s Olympic League championship tournament.
