State golf roundup: Two-time champ Harrington trails by one, Melia Cerenzia two back

Area high school golfers are going to have to come from behind if they want to claim individual titles at Washington state tournaments.

Two-time defending champion Dan Harrington, a senior at Northwest Christian, battled back from a rough start to shoot a 2-over-par 74 Tuesday in the 2B boys tournament at Tumwater Valley to share second with Matthew Longstreth of St. George’s, one behind Manson freshman Wyatt Winters.

West Valley sophomore Melia Cerenzia posted a 2-over 74 at MeadowWood, two strokes behind Ephrata’s Jayme Dwight in the 2A girls tournament.

4A: Gonzaga Prep’s John Malsam (74) is five shots back in the boys tournament at Indian Canyon. Johnny Doree added a 76 and Dillon Schrock shot 77 for the Bullpups, who are in seventh place at 312.

Defending champ Sumner (296) holds a one-shot edge over Newport (Bellevue). Moses Lake’s Mason Bradford holds a one-shot lead after shooting a 2-under 69.

Lisette Durkin is tied for 10th in the girls tournament after a 9-over 81 at The Creek at Qualchan. Durkin was 1 under at the turn but struggled on the back nine.

The Bullpups are tied for 10th. First-place Camas (322) leads by 22 shots. Jasmine Chen of Camas has a one-shot lead after a first-round 72.

3A: The defending state champion Mead boys are eighth after an opening 317 at Hawks Prairie in Lacey. Cheney is 10th at 321 and Ridgeline is 11th at 323. Roosevelt (304) is first, followed by Mountain View (306).

Cheney freshman Ryan Howe (74) shares fourth place and Mead’s Cam Cantillana (75) is tied for eighth.

Mt. Spokane’s Stetson Gilbert shot a 76 and North Central’s Teigen Brill finished at 77, seven shots behind leader Conrad Christian of Stanwood.

Mead’s Brooke Bloom (82) and Ridgeline’s Carolyn Rose (83) pace area girls at Eagles Pride in DuPont. Bellevue’s Berenice Stolte (70) leads by one over teammate Nicole Tang.

Defending champ Bellevue is on track for another title after a 307, 33 strokes ahead of Liberty (Renton).

2A: Melia Cerenzia rebounded from a slow start with an even-par 36 on the back nine at MeadowWood. She finished runner-up last year as a freshman.

Cerenzia’s sister Spencer, a senior, is tied for sixth with Pullman’s Ryliann Bednar after a 77.

“She basically called it boring golf,” West Valley coach Ty Brown said. “Kind of a ho-hum par day, which is fine. It was pretty windy out there. Spencer had a good round going. She just had a couple of holes that got to her, a couple (double bogeys) on par 3s on the back or she’d be right there, too.”

Four Pullman players qualified for the second round.

Burlington-Edison’s Wyatt Brownell had the round of the day with a 6-under 64 at Liberty Lake. He had nine 3s on his scorecard, one good for an eagle on the par-5 eighth.

Pullman’s Trae Fredrickson led area players with a 78.

1A: Deer Park’s Wyatt Priddy opened with a 7-over 78 at Riverside in Chehalis and is tied for eighth. Meridian’s Daniel Blankenburg carded a 1-under 70 for a two-stroke advantage.

Freeman’s Lily Knight (88) is in seventh. Montesano’s Hailey Blancas and Overlake’s Kendria Wang share the lead after shooting 77s.

2B/1B: Harrington started out bogey, double bogey and was 5 over after six holes. He regained his form and was 2 under the rest of the way.

“Dan had a tough start and had to overcome some adversity early on in the front nine,” Northwest Christian coach Aaron Mortlock said. “His scrambling and putting were incredible. He was able to push through and birdied three of the last five holes.”

Longstreth had four birdies and shot 1-over 37 on both nines. Wilbur-Creston-Keller’s Kallen Maioho (76) is three shots off the lead.

Almira/Coulee-Hartline’s Naomi Molitor posted an 88 at Tumwater Valley and trails Wahkiakum’s Avrey Wiltse-Hiatt by one stroke. St. John-Endicott/LaCrosse’s McKenzie Stanley shot a 93 and Tekoa-Rosalia’s Maddie Haas had a 94.