Westview's boys golf team came out firing to start the season this week.
On Monday, the Wildcats won the loaded, 20-team Canby Invitational by six strokes at Willamette Valley Country Club. On Tuesday, they built on that momentum by taking first place by nine strokes in a Metro League tournament at Quail Valley Golf Club.
After finishing fourth in the 6A tournament last season, early indications are that Westview is ready to move up this year.
“We're really deep in our squad,” coach Alex Ely said. “We've got six or seven players that can shoot in the 70s. For us, it's really trying to figure out who's going to play each week.”
Westview graduated its top golfer in Andy Yang, the 6A runner-up last year, but returned everyone else, including two outstanding juniors in Jake Rodgers and Alex Yang. Rodgers tied for 12th at state last year and Yang tied for 16th.
“These kids are really on the cusp from breaking super low,” Ely said of the junior duo. “The things they've got to clean up are the simplicities of course management, no three-putts, make up-and-downs. When they shoot two or three over, that's why. If they can clean up those little minor areas of their game, I see them as kind of being unstoppable as a force of two.”
Rodgers and Yang led the Wildcats in both wins this week. At Willamette Valley, Rodgers shot a 3-over 75 and Yang fired a 76 to place sixth and 11th, respectively. At Quail Valley, Rodgers shot a 1-over 73 for third place and Yang finished with a 76 for fourth place.
Westview's winning score of 309 at the Canby Invitational included senior Noah Janss (78) and junior Alex Lim (80). The Wildcats finished ahead of Glencoe (315), Nelson (318) and reigning state champion Jesuit (319).
“Honestly, I didn't care about winning or losing,” Ely said. “We just got into that tournament wanting to see how our scores stack up in the state. I know that we're top five, but where we stack up is always the question.”
Westview also shot a 309 at Quail Valley, with Rodgers and Yang supported by Janss (79) and junior Keaton Docktor (81). It was enough to easily defeat Mountainside (318) and Jesuit (319).
Ely believes his team compares favorably with the other Metro powers. He sees Lake Oswego, last year's state runner-up, as the team to beat in 6A.
“As a group, we're more focused on taking things one day at a time so we can get to state and have that opportunity to take on Lake Oswego,” Ely said. “That's what our goals are.”
To have a chance at contending for its first state title, Westview needs the players behind Rodgers and Yang to hold their own. Ely said they put in the work last summer.
“They all had an incredible summer season,” he said. “They all kind of stuck around as a team throughout the summer, which I thought was so cool.”
Woolworth, Lakers dominate
Lake Oswego had the most impressive debut in 6A, shooting a 9-over 297 to win the Tigard-Tualatin Preseason Showcase at Tualatin Country Club on Monday.
Lakers junior Drew Woolworth, who won the 6A tournament by eight strokes last year, dominated with a 5-under 67. He had seven birdies and a double-bogey.
Behind Woolworth, sophomore Nathan Pai (76), junior Nate Cheriel (77) and senior Colin Konkol (77), Lake Oswego ran away from Tigard (309), Central Catholic (309) and Lakeridge (312) in the 13-team tournament.
Tigard senior Jennings Oelke (70) was second. Lakeridge freshman Moses Haddad, Mountainside sophomore Kai Hang and Central Catholic senior Michael Baldwin tied for third at 71.
Harrington excels
Jesuit senior Jack Harrington opened the season by winning the Canby Invitational and the first Metro League tournament.
Harrington shot a 1-over 73 at the Canby Invitational at Willamette Valley to win by one stroke over Canby freshman Connor Holden, West Linn junior Grady Kane, Sherwood freshman Hudson O'Connell and Seaside senior Logan Norman.
Harrington fired a 1-under 71 in the Metro tournament at Quail Valley, notching four birdies. It was enough to hold off Mountainside sophomore Cisse Noriyasu, who recorded a 72.
Harrington tied for 12th in the 6A tournament last year.
Rising Tide
Glencoe followed its second-place finish at the Canby Invitational by winning the first Pacific Conference tournament Tuesday at Michelbook Golf Course in McMinnville.
The Crimson Tide's score of 303 defeated Sherwood by six strokes. Glencoe senior Brody Landaker was medalist with a 1-under 71. Glencoe senior Owen Irving and Sherwood junior Tiger Lu tied for second at 72.
jerryu@osaa.org
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