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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

State 4A boys golf: Issaquah’s Zack Overstreet wins on third playoff hole

Zack Overstreet of Issaquah High putts during the 4A state golf tournament at Qualchan Golf Course.

The record will show that Zack Overstreet won the State 4A boys golf championship with a par on the third playoff hole.

But the Issaquah junior put himself in position to win during the final six holes before Thursday’s three-man playoff.

Overstreet birdied five of his final six holes at The Creek at Qualchan to equal the day’s best round, a 3-under-par 69, to join Skyline’s Chris Mogg and Snohomish’s Ethan Casto at 5-under 139.

Overstreet birdied Nos. 13, 14, 15, 16 and 18 to shoot 32 on the back nine.

“On the front nine, I didn’t play as well as I would have liked, but on the back nine something clicked and the putts started falling,” said Overstreet, who made the cut as a sophomore at last year’s state tourney in Camas. “It kind of went my way.

“I just wanted to give myself a chance. I didn’t know coming in that I’d be even close to the lead, just because of all the low scores I saw (Wednesday), but it just worked out that I was up there with everyone else.”

The playoff started at the par-5, 504-yard 18th hole. All three made par, with Casto scrambling after his third shot went slightly over the green and near a sand trap.

Mogg, the leader after Wednesday’s first-round 68, bowed out on the second playoff hole, the par-3, 180-yard 11th, after his tee shot splashed into the pond left of the green. Overstreet and Casto made par and marched to the par-4, 379-yard 10th hole.

Casto’s second shot flew over the green, leaving him with a difficult chip and long par attempt that he missed. Overstreet, on the fringe in front, hit the pin with his third shot and easily sank the par putt.

“In the playoff, it’s really easy to get nervous and let nerves get to you and get anxious, so my goal was just to stay calm and just play like I’d played on the back nine and the rest of the tournament,” Overstreet said. “(The chip that hit the pin) kind of saved me there, but I’ll take everything I can get out there.”

Overstreet’s Eagles scored 92.5 points to finish one point behind Bellarmine Prep for the team championship. Olympic (87) placed third and Skyline (78.5) fourth.

Camas’ Brian Humphreys, who tied for second place last year, finished fourth, one shot off the pace, after shooting a 71. Humphreys received a sportsmanship award for calling a two-shot penalty on himself that cost him the title.

Ferris senior Tanner Comes led Greater Spokane League competitors with a final-round 74 for a total of 145. Another shot back were Mead senior Blake Ellingsen and Gonzaga Prep freshman Jack Plaster.

Comes and Plaster were both hurt by shooting 39 on the back nine.

3A

The Mt. Spokane girls earned a fourth-place trophy behind Megan Billeter (80-165, tied for 12th) and Cailin Spencer (84-169, 14th). Ingraham’s Sarah Rhee had a pair of 70s for a six-stroke win at Horn Rapids in Richland.

Mercer Island won the team championship.

Sam Stiles and Ross Morrison lowered their scores in the second round at Canyon Lakes in Kennewick, helping Mt. Spokane’s boys take eighth. Stiles shot a 73, four strokes better than Wednesday, and placed eighth. Morrison followed up an 81 with a 79 to tie for 27th.

Shadle Park’s Mitchell Weipert (79-157) tied for 18th. Sam Warkentin (70-139) was the medalist and helped Bainbridge win the team title.

1A

Freeman’s Ryan Maine and Cle Elum-Roslyn’s Nick Baker tied for first, but Baker won the title with a birdie on the third playoff hole at Sun Willows in Pasco. Maine fired a second straight 2-under 70. Baker closed with a 69.

Simon Nielsen (73-151, tied for 8th) helped Lakeside finished third, behind Cle-Elum Roslyn and champion Seattle Academy.

Elma’s Lauryn Keating (73-149) repeated as girls’ champion.

1B/2B

Colfax, led by Hunter Weitze’s second-place finish, captured the state title with 57.5 points. Weitze shot a 73 at Columbia Point in Richland for the second consecutive day, finishing two shots behind Ilwaco’s Kenneth Sheldon. Colfax’s Kasey Johnson (78-159) was eighth, Chance Weitze (81-160) ninth and Cody Gronning (83-165) tied for 13th.

St. George’s, paced by Sawyer Spackman’s fifth-place finish, took fourth. Davenport’s Palmer Guhlke (77-151) placed fourth.

Wilbur-Creston’s Alicia Johnson closed with an 82 to earn second place and Davenport’s Kaysa Panke was fourth. DeSales’ Emily Baumgart won her second consecutive championship.

The S-R’s Jim Meehan

contributed to this report.