RICHLAND — The Sequim boys golf team is in contention for the state team title after Tuesday’s first round at the Class 2A State Golf Tournament at Columbia Point Golf Course in Richland.

Blake Wiker and Paul Jacobsen each fired rounds of 2-over-par 74 for the Wolves and sit in a tie for seventh place overall in the individual competition.

“I believe Paul wanted to shoot right around 74 or slightly better and Blake was pleased with his 74,” Wolves coach Bill Shea said. “I think Blake was 1-under on the back nine. He made three birdies and was super proud of the way he closed out the round.

“Paul was pretty steady all day. He was 1-under through eight holes, had some trouble on the ninth with a double bogey and bounced back between 1-over and 2-over on the back nine.”

Teammate Andrew Vanderberg posted a 6-over-par 78 and is in 18th place overall.

“Andrew played really strongly,” Shea said. “He started a bit rough in the beginning, had a triple bogey and a double bogey in his round and still held it together really well. He made a birdie on the last hole to finish up.”

Shea said Sequim’s closest competition for the boys team title looks to be last year’s champs, Liberty of Issaquah.

“Right now it looks like we are in competition with Liberty, the team that won the team title last year,” Sequim coach Bill Shea said. “Liberty have a guy in first, a guy in 16th and a guy in 30th. I think we have a slight advantage in terms of points, but it’s very close

“I feel confident that every one of [the Sequim players] can shoot 72 or better [today].

“The course setup is similar to Dungeness, a par-37 with three par-5’s on the front and par-35 with three par-3s on the back. It’s a flat course with rolling hills. And their games are in a strong place. They practiced Monday at about the same time they will have their tee times [today], so they will be familiar with the heat and the wind they should face.”

Josiah Carter missed the cut for Sequim with a 91.

“He was playing really well,” Shea said. “He just had one hole that came up and bit him or else he would have a really good shot at making the cut.”

Port Angeles’ Mathew Locke also competed Tuesday, but his score was unavailable as of press deadline.

The top 40 and ties advance to the tournament’s second and final round today.

Selah’s Dylan Apodaca and Liberty’s Chase McIntosh were tied for the individual lead at 3-under-par 69.

Sequim girls

Sarah Shea shot an 11-over-par 83 on the tough desert layout at Horn Rapids Golf Course in Richland and sits in seventh place after the first day of the girls Class 2A State Golf Tournament.

Wolves teammate Samantha (Sam) Smith missed the cut by one stroke with a round of 101.

“For Sarah to have an 83 and be in seventh place kind of tells you what type of golf course it is,” coach Garrett Smithson said.

“Sarah played a good round, but if you asked her she would tell you how poorly she played, but it’s a tough golf course.”

Smithson said Horn Rapids is a pretty unforgiving layout, with accuracy a must.

“Horn Rapids is true desert golf or target golf course where every hole off the tee or coming into the green there is a true desert area.

“It’s not like courses like Dungeness or most courses on the west side where you can hit the ball and get some roll toward the green. You can’t get away with being errant off the tee or missing the green from the fairway.

“And for a desert course, you’d think it would be flatter with some hills, but every hole at Horn Rapids has some elevation change to it.”

Maddie Uranga also missed the cut for Sequim with a round of 105 in her first state outing.

“The WIAA made a mistake on their bids for district,” Smithson said. “Maddie finished sixth at the Olympic League Championship and we thought that earned her a state berth. They kept saying no, but we got an email last Thursday that said she was in because they made a mistake.

“She had a rough round today, but she’s come a long way this season and improved a great deal.”

Shea played with first-round leader Kenadee Peters, the tournament’s defending champion and a Washington State-commit. Peters shot even-par 72 Tuesday.

“Sarah got to play with her today and that’s the best high school female golfer I’ve ever seen,” Smithson said. “She is impressive.”

Lake in seventh

SPOKANE — Port Townsend’s Mackenzie Lake carded a round of 9-over-par 81 Tuesday and is in seventh place at the Class 1B/2B/1A Girls State Golf Tournament at Hangman Valley Golf Course.

Davenport’s Kayse Panke is in first place after shooting a 3-under-par 69.

Class 1A boys

LIBERTY LAKE — Port Townsend’s Derek Madison and Chimacum’s Logan Storm missed the cut at the Class 1A boys State Golf Tournament at Liberty Lake Golf Course on Tuesday.

Storm shot a 93 on the par-72 course and ended up 55th. Madison shot a 99 and was 65th.

The top 40 and ties advanced to the tournament’s second and final round today.

John Hayes of the Bear Creek School leads the 1A tournament after shooting a 3-under-par 69.