Mules fourth at state golf

The Wahkiakum Mule golf team finished with the fourth place medal at the State 1B/2B golf tournament last week in Tacoma. Coach Nick Vavoudis filed this report:

The Wahkiakum Mules sent five players to state for the first time in team history and brought home a fourth place trophy, also the best team performance at state in school history.

It was a new and nervous experience for everyone except sophomore Brook Calvert, who had made it to state in 2010. One hundred twenty players (80 boys and 40 girls) from 60 different 1B/2B schools knew that Day 1 would see 60 players sent home. The Mules lost two of their team mates on the first day cut, third place district finisher sophomore Peter Weiler, who shot 99, and sophomore Brysen Coleman, 104, leaving them with three players to contend for a trophy. Advancing were sophomores Bradley Peek, 87, and Brook Calvert, 89, and freshman Austin Good who slipped by the cut mark of 93 with a 92.

The weather on Day 1 was beautiful, but it didn't last. The Mules started Day 2 in a virtual dead lock with Pomeroy and Colfax who had only two players left apiece.

The weather was misty to start, developing into a solid rain for the middle two hours of the round. Most of the scores soared, working in the Mules' favor. Spring golf at the Mules' home course, Skyline Golf Course in Cathlamet, is always rainy, and it was just another day at the golf course for these players.

Good was working on a career day until the 16th hole and had to settle for a day two score 86, giving him a 178 but catapulting him from 34th to 22nd place.

Calvert also had a great round going until the 15th hole, settling for a 92, 182 total and 29th place.

Peek struggled right out of the gate but settled down on the back nine to shoot a 93, 180 total, and finished in 25th place.

The weather really hurt the two eastern Washington dry weather teams, causing their scores to climb and leaving the Mules with 47 points and a state trophy. Colfax finished fifth place with 39.5 and Pomeroy HS finished sixth at 31.50. For the Mules, this fourth place 2011 finish follows a 10th place finish in 2009 and a sixth place finish in 2010.