Hard work and consistency are paying off for the Lopez Lobos golf team. Lopez faced their two toughest opponents last week and showed they are a force to be reckoned with.
The boys’ team dropped their match in a friendly inter-island contest with the Orcas Vikings on Wednesday and then came within striking distance of beating the league leading Highland Christian Knights on Thursday.
Kevin Dengler shot at 47 to lead the Lobos’ boys’ team in the match with the Orcas Vikings followed by Alex Cook with 57.
In the match with Highland Christian, Josh Cook stepped up to be the low scorer for the Lopez boys’ team. Dengler was close behind carding a 51. Teddy McCullough dropped 10 strokes in eight days for a personal best of 61. Isaac Berg broke 60 in competition for the first time in his career with a round of 59.
The girls’ team easily out-putted their opponents in both matches to take the top four spots against both opponents.
Against Orcas, Randi Ritchie was the girls’ medalist shooting a 48 followed by Lisa Vaughn with a 51, Emily PostvanderBurg and Helen O’Brien with 54 apiece, Adayla Buchanan with 56 and Sydney Hoffman with 60. Hoffman and O’Brien’s scores were personal bests that qualify them for post-season play and represent a 10-stroke drop in their games over one week. “Their hard work this season is finally paying off,” said coach Richard Têtu.
Ritchie was the girls’ medalist in the match with Highland Christian, shooting a 51. Buchanan and PostvanderBurg each shot a 60. “Randi has really become a team leader. She is humble, supportive and knows how to network with the other kids to make them comfortable,” said Têtu.
After coming very close to shooting a qualifying score in a number of matches this season, Tammora Nedorocik finally broke through with 58 in the Lobos’ match against Highland Christian to become eligible for the district tournament. “Tammora has come so close all season. She has had a good attitude about it.” Riding the success of her qualifying score the day before, Hoffman shot a new personal best of 58.
Lopez has six boys and eight girls qualified for district play. “It’s going to be a fun end of season,” said Têtu. “The problem is, I can only take six from each team plus an alternate.” Qualifying boys are: Jordan Smith, Kevin Dengler, Noah Dretske, Alex Cook, Colton Jardine and Josh Cook. Qualifying girls are: Randi Ritchie, April Holland, Lisa Vaughn, Emily PostvanderBurg, Adalya Buchanan, Helen O’Brien, Sydney Hoffman and Tammora Nedorocik.
Following their final regular season match this week, the Lobos head to the Quad-District Tournament in Oak Harbor May 7-8.
