Orcas Golf Coach Bobby Olmstead can hardly contain his pride. “Twice out of the last two years the boys have won the Tri-District tournament. Five of six players shot below 90 and we are sending all five to state.”
The boys had their tournament on May 7 and the girls played at the Quad-District Tournament on May 8 at the Gallery Golf Course on Whidbey Island.
Olmstead pronounced the results, “Very very impressive. I was very pleased in the scores the boys put up. At the start of the season they set their goals. The girls and boys both wanted to win league and districts. The girls won for a record sixth time and the boys won district for the second time.
“They have put in a lot of work to get to this point and there is just one last hurdle to get over.”
The top 22 Tri-District golfers earn slots in the state tournament, to be held May 20 and 21 at Lake Padden Golf Course in Bellingham.
Olmstead says, “If they all play like they can, it will be very, very interesting with what happens at state. Golf is a funny game. You can play great one day then play real bad the next.
“These kids all put it together on a day that mattered. I hope they can do it again. We still have some work to do in our course management and club selection. But I feel that all are ready to give it there best.
All three girls on the golf team will go to state, freshman Melissa Moran-Hodge and junior Cetacea Stanton qualified and junior Maddy Smith made it as an alternate.
“The girls did very well but this team is very hard on themselves,” says Olmstead. They weren’t happy and won’t be until they complete their goals.
“I am so very proud of this team. It is the largest group of golfers to ever go to state and just shows what hard work can do. Some of these players are only in their second year. The future looks very interesting.”
Olmstead adds, “Terry Moran-Hodge has been my assistant coach now for seven years and I couldn’t do it without him, especially this year. He’s my right-hand man. I also acquired Justin Taylor, an Orcas graduate who’d qualified for state his freshman year, and has also been a very big help.”
