Golf
PENDLETON — There was a bit of drama at the Pendleton Invitational, as Pendleton’s Mason Morioka and Hermiston’s Colby Lerten went to a playoff for medalist honors on Thursday, April 17, at The Golf Course at Birch Creek.
Both shot a 76 over 18 holes, and Lerten won the one-hole playoff for the title.
Pendleton’s Garret Reinhart and Hood River’s Davis Kerr and David Shepherd tied for third with each shooting an 80. In a scorecard playoff, Kerr finished third, while Reinhart was fourth and Shepherd fifth.
Hood River won the team title with a 327, while Pendleton was second (334), Hermiston third (378), La Grande fourth (411) and The Dalles fifth (448).
Pilot Rock, Weston- McEwen, Union and Umatilla had incomplete teams.
“Really, the top team was Hood River, and I knew what they had.,” Pendleton Marc Sokoloski said. “We have played some really tough competition throughout the year, with the understanding that we would be pretty good this year. I wanted to see how the kids would be against those players.”
Rounding to the top four for Hood River were Aksel Betz and Wyatt Bahn who each shot an 81.
Pendleton’s Landon Neistadt finished sixth overall with an 81, and Cole Sazue was 12th with a 97.
“I think we probably have the deepest team in the state,” Sokoloski said. “We have 12 guys who are competing for five spots. It will be a matter in the next couple of weeks to see how they score. Three or four kids who have already been to the state tournament are battling for spots. We have 31 boys out for golf. The program as a whole is on the rise. We are getting kids out and that makes us better.”
Seth Umpleby led Pilot Rock, placing 14th with a 99, while Matthew Wynder was 22nd with a 113.
Sophomore Colby Perkins was the top man for Weston-McEwen, shooting a 112 to place 21st, while teammate Theo Sprenger was 29th with a 116.
For Union, Tyler Spellman was 30th with a 118, and Baden Mouritsen tied for 36th with a 124.
Kash Langley led Umatilla, placing 26th with a 115, followed by Vicente Campos (T36th, 124) and Chase Williams (T36th, 124).
In girls’ play, Hermiston’s Nadalie Cannell shot a 75 for medalist honors, and helped the Bulldogs to the team title with a 381.
La Grande was a distant second with a 430, while Pendleton was third (445), The Dalles fourth (485) and Umatilla fifth (492).
Cannell shot a 3-over par, carding birdies on holes seven, eight and 16, and shot par on 10 holes.
Hermiston’s Kyra Tolan was second with an 89, followed by La Grande’s Natasha Lane (92), Pendleton’s Sophie Nelson (94) and La Grande’s Olesya Forbes (105).
Rounding out the top four for Hermiston were Kayra Aguilar (7th, 108) and Mariela Eliason (8th, 109).
Also scoring for La Grande were Rhiley Lees (9th, 110) and Sienna Cyrus (21st, 123).
Nelson, who had a birdie on hole 12, and shot par on three holes, and turned her best ever score.
“She is getting better every tournament,” Pendleton coach Dave Curtis said. “She shot better than she did at Wildhorse. She has been our No. 1. Brinley (Curtiss) and Kori (Sirovatka) have been improving every tournament. It’s a good inter squad battle. This was Kori’s last home tournament. She has played all four years for me.”
Sirovatka finished sixth with a 108, while Curtiss was ninth with a 110, and Kennedy Alvarado (28th, 133) rounded out the scoring for the Bucks.
Jada Longoria was the top Umatilla player, shooting a 116 and finishing 12. Rounding out the scoring for the Vikings were Liliana Gutierrez (16th, 120), Alyssa Bow (21st, 123) and Stephanie Riveria (28th, 133).
The Buck are back on the course Monday at Baker, followed by a meet Tuesday at La Grande, and Friday at Milton-Freewater.