Area roundup: Gonzaga Preps’ Kelly Hooper captures Junior Girls’ Amateur

NAMPA, Idaho – Kelly Hooper of Spokane defeated Jalayne Martinez of Pasco 4 and 3 in the final match to win the 60th Pacific Northwest Junior Girls’ Amateur Championship.

The championship was held at RedHawk Golf Course and was conducted by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association.

During the 18-hole final match, there were several lead changes during the front nine, and the match stood at all square after 10 holes. But then Hooper, who attends Gonzaga Prep, won four of the next five holes to close it out with a par on the 15th hole.

“This is a little crazy,” Hooper said afterward. “I didn’t expect to win at all, especially after the first round. I can’t believe I was able to stick out it.” Hooper had struggled in the 18-hole stroke play qualifying round, ending up as the No. 11 seed. “I didn’t have my best day,” Hooper said about the qualifying round. “But I just told myself to just go with it as far (in match play) as I can. It was nice to be able to play the course for several days this week; I got better on the greens, and better about where to hit the ball onto the greens to give myself a chance at birdies.”

Whitworth soccer No. 14

Whitworth men’s soccer team will open the season ranked 14th in the NSCAA NCAA Division III national preseason ranking.

The Pirates are the only Northwest Conference team ranked. They are coming off a 17-2-3 season and a trip to the sectional semifinals of the NCAA tournament in 2014.

Defending national champions Tufts University (Mass.) is No. 1, followed by Wheaton (Ill.) College.