State golf roundup: Sumner’s Ryan Takeshita wins title, Spartans win 4A championship
Ryan Takeshita’s birdie on the par-five 18th clinched the 4A boys golf title Wednesday, capping the Sumner sophomore’s two-under-par day and seven-under-par tournament.
A shot back after day one, Takeshita out-dueled Bellarmine Prep’s JJ Bordeaux to win the WIAA’s state tournament by one at the Creek at Qualchan in Spokane.
“It’s definitely a surreal feeling right now,” Takeshita told The News Tribune. “I had some nerves on last couple putts, but yeah, it feels nice. ... All the hard work paid off.”
A first-round 67 put Takeshita in prime, final-round contention Wednesday. He posted a one-under 35 on the front nine to grab a one-shot lead at the turn, and birdied 18 for the win.
But the individual trophy wasn’t the only hardware going back with Takeshita — Sumner grabbed first-place team honors, the first title in the program’s history.
“These guys put in a lot of work in the offseason, playing in tournaments,” said Sumner coach Dustin Hegge. “I think they were a little fired up at our third-place finish last year.
“They all get along really well. They push each other to be better, and they do everything else the right way.”
Sumner’s Brock Maulding tallied seven birdies and posted a second-round 69 to finish in a tie for third. He battled back from a three-over 39 on the front nine Tuesday, and was seven-under par over his last 27 holes.
Last year’s scoreboard displaying Sumner’s third-place team finish still hangs in Maulding’s room.
“I looked at it every morning,” he said. “Just to give me some fuel for this year.”
Kyle Martin (T41) and Delsyn Watkins (T28) fortified Sumner’s title win, a combined 17-shot victory (+5) over runner-up Bellarmine Prep (+22).
“It’s going to be a good boost for next year, having the state chip on our belt,” Takeshita said. “I think it’s a big confidence boost for everyone.”
Bellarmine Prep used contributions from Bordeaux and another pair of top-12 finishers: Owen Price (T9) and Cole Wicklander (T12).
TOP 10
1. Ryan Takeshita, Sumner — 67-70—137
2. JJ Bordeaux, Bellarmine Prep — 66-72–138
T3. Eli Huntington, Camas — 69-71–140
T3. Brock Maulding, Sumner — 71-69–140
5. Danny Auffant, Issaquah — 71-70–141
6. Bradley Hammermeister, West Valley of Yakima — 74-69—143
7. Walker Lamb, Bothell — 73-71—144
8. Jack Brigham, Lewis & Clark — 74-73–147
T9. Cal Anderson, Eastmont — 73-75–148
T9. Brady Komstadius, West Valley of Yakima — 74-74–148
T9. Owen Price, Bellarmine Prep — 69-79—148
MORE LOCALS
T12. Colton Zehnder, Puyallup — 74-75–149
T12. Cole Wicklander, Bellarmine Prep — 75-74–149
T22. Jackson Kokich, Tahoma — 76-75–151
T25. Tyson Arthur, Sumner — 73-80–153
T28. Delsyn Watkins, Sumner — 75-79—154
T35. Silas Guzlas, Olympia — 79-77–156
T35. Jackson Yoder, Rogers — 79-77–156
T41. Kyle Martin, Sumner — 80-77–157
T46. Ryder Jacox, Tahoma — 79-79–158
T51. Carter Fabritius, Olympia — 80-79—159
T60. Ryan Schneider, Bellarmine Prep — 81-82–163
71. Karsten Miller, 91-90—181
4A GIRLS
Indian Canyon Golf Course, Spokane, par 72
It required three playoff holes, but Newport’s Amber Li emerged victorious over two challengers and claimed the 4A girls golf title at Indian Canyon Golf Course.
Li first birdied the par-five 18th on Wednesday to join Amanda Nguyen (Lewis & Clark) and Claire Chang (Issaquah) atop the leaderboard and in the playoff. Before, she overcame a five-stroke deficit when Union’s Jade Gruher fired a tournament-best 66 in the opening round and led the field by three.
Gruher, the 2022 champion, posted a final-round 76 to finish fourth.
Emerald Ridge’s Lexi Trummert posted matching rounds of 75 and tied Eastlake’s Rosalie Halle for ninth.
Camas’ Jacinda Lee posted a Wednesday-best 69, good for sole sixth.
A duo of Curtis golfers cracked the top-15 — Berkley Ledesma (T13) and Jayda Thomas (15th). Contributions from Tesslynn Teeple (58th) aided seventh-place team honors.
Li’s individual victory -- plus an eighth-place finish from Emily Zhang -- fueled Newport’s overall team title (+31), an 11-stroke margin over runner-up Issaquah.
Emerald Ridge’s Trummert, Addison Stilli, Leni Husarik, and Riley Isings qualified the Jaguars for an eight-place team finish.
TOP 10
1. Amber Li, Newport — 71-70–141*
T2. Amanda Nguyen, Lewis & Clark — 69-72—141
T2. Claire Chang, Issaquah — 69-72—141
4. Jade Gruher, Union — 66-76–142
5. Emma Wong, Newport — 73-70–143
6. Jacinda Lee, Camas — 75-69—144
7. Jillian Breedlove, Pasco — 73-72–145
8. Emily Zhang, Newport — 75-72–147
T9. Rosalie Halle, Eastlake — 77-73—150
T9. Lexi Trummert, Emerald Ridge — 75-75–150
*won on third playoff hole
MORE LOCALS
T13. Berkley Ledesma, Curtis — 74-79–153
15. Jayda Thomas, Curtis — 79-77–156
T18. Kallie Phon, Kentwood — 84-77–159
21. Payton Anderson, Bellarmine Prep — 88-76—164
T30. Grace Pasion, Tahoma — 87-88–175
T35. Harlyn McNiven, Sumner — 90-88–178
T35. Addison Stilli, Emerald Ridge — 90-88–178
T39. Hannah Jung, Kentridge — 90-91–181
47. Leni Husarik, Emerald Ridge — 92-92–184
48. Jane Kiehl, Curtis — 92-93–185
T50. Riley Isings, Emerald Ridge — 88-99–187
58. Tesslynn Teeple, Curtis — 94-100–194
59. Melanie Petrie, Curtis — 108-102–210
60. Sophia Rivera, Emerald Ridge — 114-110–224
3A BOYS
Indian Summer Golf & Country Club, Olympia, par 72
Ferndale’s Baylor Larrabee fired a Wednesday-low 71 to upend day-one leader and defending-champion Max Herendeen and win the 3A golf title at Indian Summer Golf & Country Club.
Larrabee’s consistency delivered the state championship, posting one-under rounds of 71 in each of the tournament’s two rounds.
Larrabee needed only to overcome a one-shot deficit. Herendeen, the 2022 3A champion, fired 70-75 and wound up the 2023 runner-up.
Gig Harbor’s Chet West was one back entering Wednesday, and finished in a tie for seventh with a final-round 78. The Tides earned the fourth-place team trophy.
Mead’s program was victorious, crowned team champions by a 15-shot margin (+25). The Panthers’ Benjamin and Bradley Mulder, twin brothers, posted matching two-day scores of 148 and tied for fifth on the individual leaderboard.
TOP 10
1. Baylor Larrabee, Ferndale — 71-71–142
T2. Calvin Cakarnis, Liberty — 74-71—145
T2. Max Herendeen, Bishop Blanchet — 70-75–145
4. Conrad Chisman, Stanwood — 72-75–147
T5. Bradley Mulder, Mead — 75-73—148
T5. Benjamin Mulden, Mead — 73-75–148
T7. Teigen Brill, North Central — 75-74–149
T7. Mason Remington, Seattle Prep — 76-73–149
T7. Spencer Moody, Mountain View — 72-77–149
T7. Chet West, Gig Harbor — 71-78—149
MORE LOCALS
T23. Rylan Coovert, Gig Harbor — 79-77–156
T31. Theo Snyder, Gig Harbor — 75-84—159
T35. Kohen Sauer, Bonney Lake — 77-83–160
T38. Parker Sawatzky, Capital — 79-82–161
T43. Aiden Balatbat, Lakes — 78-84—162
T53. Prisco Vacca, Auburn Mountainview — 76-88–164
T53. Colin Morkert, Gig Harbor — 83-81—164
57. Matthew Davidson, Bonney Lake — 80-85–165
58. Will Bryant, Capital — 80-86—166
T60. Zavier Feasey-Allen, Gig Harbor — 79-90–169
T65. Ethan Loghry, Kentlake — 82-91—173
3A GIRLS
The Golf Club at Hawks Prairie — Woodlands, Lacey, par 72
Jillian Hui successfully defended a four-shot lead on Wednesday, holding off challenger Nicole Koong to win the 3A girls title at The Golf Club at Hawks Prairie.
The winding, narrow Woodlands course crowned Hui its champion after the Southridge senior fired rounds of 70-73 to win by three shots.
Despite triple-bogeying the par-five 13th, Eastside Catholic’s Koong posted Wednesday’s low round — an even-par 72 — and finished three off Hui’s pace.
Hui bogeyed the tournament’s final two holes and still cruised to victory, inconsequential miscues that highlight her once-even-bigger lead before hoisting the first-place trophy.
Peninsula’s Halle Graf finished sole-seventh with rounds of 78-77, and finished the tournament’s final eight holes one under par.
Stadium’s Una Johnson posted 77-81 for ninth place.
Bellevue rostered three top-10 finishers and won the state’s team title, with 622 total strokes over the tournament’s two days.
Stadium took home the third place, with 719 strokes. Gig Harbor tied Roosevelt for fourth, with 721.
TOP 10
1. Jillian Hui, Southridge — 70-73–143
2. Nicole Koong, Eastside Catholic — 74-72–146
3. Audrey Park, Liberty — 74-75—149
4. Berenice Stolte, Bellevue — 75-76–151
5. Tatum Otto, Bellevue — 76-76–152
6. Gigi Lund, Interlake — 75-79—154
7. Hallee Graf, Peninsula — 78-77—155
8. Charlene Stolte, Bellevue — 78-79–157
9. Una Johnson, Stadium — 77-81—158
T10. Brooke Bloom, Mead — 80-79–159
T10. Kaitlin Ojendyk, Eastside Catholic — 79-80–159
MORE LOCALS
12. Carly Ikei, Gig Harbor — 79-81–160
T19. Stella Johnson, Stadium — 76-87–163
21. Anna Duerr, Capital — 84-81—165
25. Bronwyn Byrne, Stadium — 84-85–169
T35. Francesca Brinkman, Silas — 91-86—177
37. Laila Douglas, Gig Harbor — 94-85—179
T38. Marina Long, Auburn Mountainview — 93-87–180
42. Sofia Skogen, Gig Harbor — 85-97—182
T45. Kendall Willie, North Thurston — 94-90—184
T48. Lyla Yesiltepe, Thomas Jefferson — 95-93—188
T51. Malina Ta’amu, Auburn Mountainview — 91-99—190
T53. Elizabeth Mellum, Silas — 96-96—192
T53. Ella Follen, Silas — 97-95—192
T56. Ashley Nguyen, Timberline — 94-99—193
T58. Kathleen Pullin, Lakes — 95-99—194
61. Madelynn Depner, Timberline — 94-102—196
65. Hailey Gray, Gig Harbor — 104-96—200
T68. Jordan Neal, Silas — 92-121—213
T68. Carson MacMurray, Silas — 110-103—213
72. Sarah Ehler, Gig Harbor — 110-112—222
73. Ashley Kim, Stadium — 110-119—229
T74. Morgan Taubenheim, Stadium — 112-128—240
2A BOYS
Liberty Lake Golf Course, Liberty Lake, par 70
In fourth place entering the final round, Lynden’s Logan Medcalf stormed past three co-leaders and grabbed the 2A golf title by a single shot at Liberty Lake Golf Course.
Rather sneakily and without a sub-70 round, Medcalf fired an even-par 70 to win the tournament by one. Three challengers posted rounds of 69 on Tuesday — one better than Medcalf’s first-round 70 — but all shot 73 or worse Wednesday.
Centralia’s Von Wasson and Burlington-Edison’s Ben Wilson — two of Wednesday’s earlier co-leaders — each fired rounds of 73 to finish in a tie for second.
White River’s Kaden Ausen posted an even-par 70 in the final round and tied for fourth (73-70). Foss’ Sam Spitzer tied for 12th, posting rounds of 76-74.
Sehome’s Wes Bothel fired Wednesday’s low round (69) and sprung into an eight-place tie.
With three top-10 finishes and four in the top-16, Burlington-Edison was the 2A team champion with 132.00 total points.
TOP 10
1. Logan Medcalf, Lynden — 70-71–141
T2. Von Wasson, Centralia — 69-73—142
T2. Ben Wilson, Burlington-Edison — 69-73—142
T4. Kaden Ausen, White River — 73-70—143
T4. Eric Leonen, Archbishop Murphy — 71-72–143
T6. Wyatt Brownwell, Burlington-Edison — 69-75–144
T6. Nick Ennis, Archbishop Murphy — 71-73—144
T8. Wes Bothel, Sehome — 76-69–145
T8. Dane Huddleston, Woodland — 73-72—145
10. Rex Wilson, Burlington-Edison — 72-72—146
MORE LOCALS
T12. Sam Spitzer, Foss — 76-74–150
T24. Jackson Martin, Orting — 81-76–157
35. Luke Roque, Franklin Pierce — 81-84–165
42. Braeden Konrad, Tumwater — 82-91—173
2A GIRLS
MeadowWood Golf Course, Liberty Lake, par 72
First-round leader Charlotte Giffin posted matching, three-under par 69s to win the 2A girls golf title by seven shots at MeadowWood Golf Course.
Cedarcrest’s Giffin led by four shots following Tuesday’s opening round and again was the field’s best performance Wednesday. She was the only golfer to post a sub-70 round this week — and did it twice.
West Valley’s Melia Cerenzia emerged from a three-way tie for second after day one, posting an even-par 72 in the final round to finish the sole runner-up.
White River’s Lexie Mahler took third, posting rounds of 73-77.
Fife’s Kylie Nguyen grabbed sixth place, posting rounds of 76-80. W.F. West’s Natalie Eklund (83-81) rounded out the top-10.
White River took home team runner-up honors (77.50), falling to overall-champ Sehome (93.00). A trio of Hornets made Tuesday’s cut of 96 and each finished in the top-23: Mahler (third), Abby Rose (T21), and Sophie Ross (T23).
TOP 10
1. Charlotte Giffin, Cedarcrest — 69-69—138
2. Melia Cernzia, West Valley of Spokane — 73-72—145
3. Lexie Mahler, White River — 73-77–150
4. Kiana Schroeder, Lakewood — 73-78—151
5. Hannah Hochsprung, Sehome — 74-78—152
6. Kylie Nguyen, Fife — 76-80–156
7. Ryliann Bednar, Pullman — 79-78–157
T8. Spencer Cerenzia, West Valley — 82-76–158
T8. Jayme Dwight, Ephrata — 80-78–158
10. Natalie Eklund, W.F. West — 83-81–164
MORE LOCALS
11. Abby Matelski, Steilacoom — 85-81–166
16. Emily Alicea, Enumclaw — 89-84—173
T17. Jeannie Yoon, Franklin Pierce — 87-90—177
T21. Abby Rose, White River — 86-94—180
23. Sophie Ross, White River — 95-87—182
T27. Kate Hartman, Enumclaw — 96-89
40. Reagan Chevalier, Enumclaw — 92-102—194
1A BOYS
Location: Riverside Golf Club, Chehalis, par 71
Chelan’s Carson Clinton fired a one-under 70 in Wednesday’s final round, good for a two-shot victory in the 1A state championship at Chehalis Golf Club.
Clinton entered the day in sole second, trailing Zillah’s Dallin Kibbe by one shot. Kibbe posted 73-79 to finish in a tie for fifth.
Clinton’s second-round 70 was a tournament-best. Bear Creek’s Giap Do fired 75-71 to finish runner-up.
A trio of locals represent the South Sound in the top 10: Annie Wright’s Wilson Dicks posted rounds of 76-73 at Riverside to grab the third-place trophy.
Cascade Christian took three golfers into the second round, besting a day-one cut of 87. Jacob Janho (T7) and Zeke Prociw (ninth) notched top-ten finishes. John Nixon (85-87) tied for 24th.
Bear Creek’s team title clinched a repeat. The Grizzlies won the 1A team trophy in 2022 and won again Wednesday, with 55 total points.
Cascade Christian was a very close second, with 53.5 total points and the second-place trophy in hand.
TOP 10
1. Carson Clinton, Chelan — 74-70—144
2. Giap Do, Bear Creek School — 75-71—146
3. Wilson Dicks, Annie Wright — 76-73—149
4. Lucas Williams, Seattle Academy — 76-74—150
T5. Dallin Kibbe, Zillah — 73-79—152
T5. Jacob Parker, Seton Catholic — 78-74—152
T7. Daniel Blankenburg, Meridian — 75-78—153
T7. Jacob Janho, Cascade Christian — 75-78—153
9. Zeke Prociw, Cascade Christian — 76-78—154
10. Henry Fey, The Bush School — 78-77—155
MORE LOCALS
T16. Adam Mwangi, Life Christian Academy — 84-80—164
T24. John Nixon, Cascade Christian — 85-87—172
T27. Conner Iverson, Charles Wright Academy — 87-86—173
1A GIRLS
Location: Riverside Golf Club, Chehalis, par 71
Montesano’s Hailey Blancas is the 1A girls champion after posting the tournament’s two best rounds at Riverside Golf Club.
Blancas grabbed a two-shot lead with a first-round 82, and held off runner-up Olivia Moore when both shot 83 on Wednesday.
Cascade Christian’s Sophie Janho finished in a tie for 11th, posting rounds of 98-100.
Forest Ridge won the team title with 38 total points.
1B/2B GIRLS
Sound Christian freshman Makenna Kelpman posted a tournament-best 75 in the final round, more than enough to grab the 1B/2B girls title at Tumwater Valley Golf Club on Wednesday.
Kelpman fired a day-one 77 and paced the field by two shots entering Wednesday’s second and final round. Only Pomeroy’s Chase Caruso was within six, who posted rounds of 79-79 to finish runner-up.
Kelpman won the tournament by six shots. In dominant fashion, she beat third-place Melloney Deife (Odessa) by 16 shots and bested fifth-place Avrey Wiltse Hiatt (Wahkiakum) by 27.
