Behind a nucleus of experienced seniors, Glencoe's boys golf team entered this season expecting to build on last year, when it finished seventh in the 6A tournament.
And the Crimson Tide is living up to those expectations, winning four consecutive tournaments after opening the season with a second-place finish in the stacked Canby Invitational.
Glencoe followed its third consecutive Pacific Conference tournament win Tuesday at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club by capturing the 16-team 6A/5A Preview on Wednesday at the OGA Golf Course. The Crimson Tide shot 306 to finish ahead of 5A contenders Summit (322), Bend (326) and Canby (327).
“It just gives us another marker out there,” Glencoe coach Tyler Armstrong said of winning on the state championship course. “We're still not a complete team yet, and that's really exciting to me. I want them to continue to work toward peaking at the end of the season, as we head into state.”
Glencoe has been led by seniors Brody Landaker, Owen Irving and Emmet Meiers, fourth-year varsity players.
“It's been really fun to watch them develop, starting their freshman year all the way to now,” said Armstrong, a 2009 Glencoe graduate who took over as head coach this year after assisting Tim Duvall for eight seasons.
In the 6A/5A Preview, Landaker shot an even-par 72 to tie for second place with Bend senior Gustav Kristofferson, one shot behind Canby freshman Connor Holden. The Cougars other scorers were Irving (76), Meiers (79) and senior Giovanni Gallardo (79).
It came on the heels of Glencoe shooting a 305 on the Ghost Creek course at Pumpkin Ridge, topping Sherwood by 15 strokes. Landaker shot 2-under 69 to edge Sherwood junior Tiger Lu by one stroke for medalist honors. Irving (77), junior Calvin Johnson (79) and Meiers (80) rounded out the Crimson Tide's scoring.
Landaker, who tied for 22nd at state last year, has been “the rock of our team,” according to Armstrong. He has made big strides since he began playing competitive golf as a freshman.
“He quickly turned into a self-taught, amazing golfer,” Armstrong said. “Brody's extremely competitive. When he makes a mistake, he wears it on his sleeve, which is a blessing and a curse. Sometimes it can get him going, and other times it can drag him down for a hole or two. Where Brody's at right now is really exciting. He's going to have a round where it all clicks one day.”
The youngest of three brothers to play for Glencoe, Landaker plans to pursue college golf. Armstrong believes the 6-foot-3 Landaker has a high ceiling.
“There's a lot of juice left to squeeze with Brody,” he said.
Irving, the team's No. 2 player, has raised his game from last season, when he tied for 40th at state. His improvement was apparent in a Pacific Conference tournament April 8 at Meriwether National Golf Club when he shot an even-par 72 in inclement weather to win by six strokes.
Armstrong said his players are mentally better equipped to handle poor conditions than last year, when they struggled with the weather on the second day of the state tournament.
“They were kind of giving in to the conditions,” Armstrong said. “I think they learned a lesson there. We were a little bit disappointed. I feel with a little bit more maturity last year, we would've been able to overcome that.”
Glencoe, which has never won a state title, is hoping to bring home a trophy from the 6A tournament. That would require a top-four finish.
“That's absolutely a goal of ours, to place at state,” Armstrong said. “I think we have the depth. We're still working toward our peak. When we're clicking on all cylinders, we have the ability to punch our way up there.”
Notes:
Boys
Lake Oswego junior Drew Woolworth, the reigning 6A champion, fired a 7-under 65 to win a Three Rivers League tournament Monday at Stone Creek Golf Club, beating Tigard senior Jennings Oelke by two strokes. The Lakers outscored Tigard 294-301 for first place behind Woolworth, Nathan Pai (71), Nate Cheriel (78) and Colin Konkol (80). … Grant beat Cleveland 324-325 to win a Portland Interscholastic League tournament Tuesday at Heron Lakes Golf Club. Lincoln senior Quinn Hefele and junior Ethan Chang had the top scores at 3-over 75. …
Jesuit and Westview traded wins in Metro League tournaments this week. Monday at Chehalem Glenn Golf Course, Westview shot 298 to beat Jesuit by six strokes. Wildcats junior Jake Rodgers fired a 3-under 69 top Jesuit's Jack Harrington (70) and Joseph Ulrich (73) for medalist honors. Tuesday at Meriwether, Jesuit turned the table by scoring 308 to finish three strokes ahead of Westview. Ulrich fired a 1-under 71 to edge Rodgers and Mountainside's Cisse Noriyasu by one stroke. …
Mountain View senior Grady Millar won the Pronghorn Invitational on Tuesday at Pronghorn Golf Club, shooting a 5-under 67 to beat Summit's Bryce Grieb by three strokes. Summit outpointed Mountain View 313-320 for first place. … Blanchet Catholic senior Joseph Beyer won a 3A/2A/1A Special District 2 tournament Monday at McNary Golf Club with a 2-under 69. … Valley Catholic junior Benny Zhu and Oregon Episcopal freshman Mateo Gramstad each shot 2-under 71 to tie for first place in the Portland Adventist Glendoveer Invitational on Monday at Glendoveer Golf Course. …
Bandon continued its season-long dominance by carding an 8-over 296 to win the Eugene Country Club Invitational on Monday, 16 strokes ahead of runner-up Grants Pass. Bandon sophomore Sevren Quinn and Crosspoint Christian junior Davis Hartwell tied for first place at 2-under 70, two strokes ahead of Bandon's Braedon Millhouser and Grants Pass' Carson Krauss. Bandon's two other scorers were Jackson Simonds (76) and Peyton Simonds (78).
Girls
Westview sophomore Melinee Udom and Mountainside sophomore Kristine Shin won hotly contested Metro League tournaments this week. Shin (77) edged Udom (78) on Monday at Meriwether. Udom came back the next day to shoot 1-over 73 to win at Chehalem Glenn, holding off Shin and Sunset senior Erika Kobayashi by one stroke. Sunset won both tournaments, shooting 340 to beat Mountainside by 12 strokes Monday and firing 331 to defeat Jesuit by two strokes Tuesday. …
Roseburg freshman Lana Silvestri carded a 3-under 69 to win the 11-team Eugene Country Club Invitational on Monday, beating three-time reigning 5A champion Francesca Tomp of North Eugene by two strokes. Sheldon's Sylvia Czarnecki (74) was third, helping the Irish top Grants Pass 355-356 to win the team scoring. … Redmond junior Payton Richardson dominated the 11-team Caldera Classic on Tuesday at Rivers Edge Golf Course, shooting a 5-over 78 to win by 12 strokes. Crook County shot 401 to win the team title by two strokes over Summit. …
Clackamas cruised to a Mt. Hood Conference tournament win Wednesday at Greenlea Golf Course, outscoring Nelson 321-343. Cavaliers sophomore Jessi Tantog shot a 1-over 63 for first place. … Cleveland junior Kate Ly posted a win in a PIL tournament Tuesday at Heron Lakes, shooting 2-under 70. … Catlin Gabel's Vishaka Priyan shot an even-par 73 for first place in a six-team tournament at Meriwether on Tuesday. Oregon Episcopal beat Riverdale 452-453 in the team scoring. …
Wilsonville had the top four finishers in a Northwest Oregon Conference tournament Tuesday at Charbonneau Golf Club, shooting a 15-over 271 to blow away runner-up Canby (355). Wildcats juniors Evie Dunn and Layla Sidhu shot even-par 64 to share medalist honors. Sophia Raschko (68) and Madeline Downie (75) also scored for Wilsonville. … Lakeridge freshman Hanna Wendorf fired a 3-under 69 on Monday to win a Three Rivers tournament at Oregon Golf Club by four strokes over Lake Oswego's Hailey Lim.
jerryu@osaa.org
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