Ferris Captures I.E. Title By 10 Strokes

Ferris’ 293 score Monday at MeadowWood during the Inland Empire High School Tournament wasn’t its best score on the Liberty Lake course, but it secured a 10-stroke victory for the Saxons boys.

The Saxons beat runner-up Central Valley’s 303, Lewis and Clark’s 307 and Mead’s 307.

“We actually shot better here the last time we played,” Saxons coach Don Lobdell said. “But there’s more pressure on them with 20 to 25 kids all going for state berths.”

Maybe it was the pressure on Greater Spokane League golfers in a meet that also is the first round of District 8 state qualifying that kept scores higher than coaches expected.

“I think it surprised us all because the kids have made braggarts of us,” said Shadle Park coach Rand Lothspeich.

But it didn’t keep five Saxons, including I.E. champion Ryan Camp, and more than half of the GSL golfers from making it to the second round Wednesday at Indian Canyon.

Camp, a sophomore, was eighth in the I.E. when it played at Indian Canyon last year. He shot a scorching 33 on the back nine at MeadowWood to finish with a 1-under-par 71.

“I usually play the front better than the back,” the slight Saxon said. “I was missing short putts and couldn’t get anything to fall.”

By contrast, he one-putted the 13th hole, then birdied the next two, hitting a 9-iron within 2 feet on 15.

After a bogey, he finished with a par and a birdie for his winning total. Cheney’s B.J. McLuen finished one shot back and several golfers shot 73. One of those was early leader Josh Sicilia of Mead.

“This course, for some reason, eats me alive,” Sicilia said. “The greens are different. They don’t break like they look like they do.”

But Sicilia hit 16 greens to make life easier.

In the past week, Ferris moved past Mead, a team that beat the Saxons twice earlier in the year, to win the GSL. Monday they added the I.E. tournament title.

“Our top four are real good golfers and good friends,” said Lobdell. “These four have been so close all year and rotated places, but Ryan is the better putter of the four, which is why he has the best stroke average.”

Reid Hatley was one of the golfers who shot 73. Cory Prugh came in at 74 and Mike Hastings shot 75. Freshman Kyle Ham also came through, shooting a 78.

“Kyle hadn’t broken 80 until last week when he did it twice, and he did it again today,” said Lobdell.

Of the 31 golfers who will play in the second round of district at Indian Canyon, 27 shot 79 or better.

Top-10 finishers and any other golfers who total 151 or lower will qualify for the State 4A Tournament in Vancouver.

Camp likes his chances, although he admitted reaching state is no sure thing.

“I think it takes the pressure off me in the next round, but I’m still capable of shooting 80,” he said.