By Matt Phelps
The Mercer Island girls golf team did not have the season they hoped for by finishing with a 3-3 record. But the girls know when to turn up the heat and hit their putts. The Islanders took part in the Medalist tournament at River Bend golf course in Kent May 16 and qualified five of their seven golfers for the Sea-King district tournament meet.
The meet showed the parity between the top four teams in the league. Interlake sent four golfers to districts, Bellevue had four and Issaquah qualified five girls for districts.
Mercer Island (488 strokes) finished fourth over all as a team. Issaquah was the champion with a overall score of 456 strokes. Bellevue (471) just nudged out Interlake (475) for second place over all.
Senior Shawn Kelly began her final post season run as an Islander with a 93 on the par 72 course. Kelly finished 11th over all in the KingCo Medalist meet and played in her third district tournament. Lindsay Buchanan was just three strokes off Kelly’s pace, as the sophomore’s score of 96 was good enough for 13th place and a trip to districts.
The biggest strength of the Islander team this season has been the youth factor and Kelly Ogishima helped to perpetuate that notion. The freshman broke 100 by just one stroke but finished 16th over all in KingCo for her first trip to the district tournament.
Mercer Island senior Rachel Smith didn’t have her best meet of the year but managed to finished in the top 25, with a score of exactly 100. Islander Mckenzie Holden also shot a 100 for the meet to tie Smith, and a player from Issaquah, for a three-way tie in 17th place overall. The tandem were the final two to make the cut from Mercer Island.
Islander Gina Zanella finished the tournament with a 109 just five strokes from districts. Mercer Island freshman Tracey Tomlinson finished with a 110.
Kelly, Buchanan, Smith, Holden and Ogishima played at Sea-King district tournament meet Monday (after Reporter deadline). All the players have the hopes of qualifying for the state meet held on Tuesday, May 31.
