PF glad to have depth

The Post Falls High boys golf team returned all five players off its team that placed fourth at state and earned a trophy last year. It was the first time in the six-year history of the sport at the school that a boys team had qualified for state.

Following the state tourney, the Trojans golfers and their coach, Craig Newton, promptly began thinking about the 2005 season and the possibilities. Specifically, they thought that with a little improvement they could trade up a trophy or two or three. The words “state title” were uttered.

Especially considering the Trojans weren’t satisfied with how they played in their first trip to state.

Before the Trojans’ first practice this season, however, a key returner, sophomore Travis Boughton, broke his right collarbone in a skiing accident on his birthday in early February.

Boughton returned just before spring break. He didn’t play one full practice round before Post Falls went to the Lewiston Invitational where the Trojans finished a respectable second to the host Bengals. Despite the layoff, Boughton shot 2-under-par 34 on the front nine before he stumbled in at 79, 7 over, with a 45 on the back.

Eleven days later, Boughton re-broke the collarbone in another skiing accident. It’s dubious at best if he can return a second time. He went 40 days between the first accident and first match. Newton figures Boughton has about 38 days to heal before the state-qualifying Region I tournament.

“Even if he comes back, his effectiveness will be diminished,” Newton said.

Broughton hopes to speed his recovery, though. He has a “microcurrent” running across his bone while he sleeps, a process that is supposed to accelerate healing, his father, Eric, a chiropractor, said.

“I think it will heal faster this time,” Travis said. “The good thing is I’m left-handed and it’s not my power shoulder. I’m going to try my best to get back because I feel I let the team down.”

Whatever the outcome, Zach Boughton, Travis’ brother, and Nick Cuchessi, both seniors, know they must shoulder much of the load. They rank No. 1 and 2, respectively, in the lineup. Travis was third before his injury. Senior Kyle Doerfler, who went to state last year, will fill that spot for now. Juniors Tyler Clark, Tommy Beutler and Nick Bjrustom also are battling for a spot, Newton said.

Post Falls shot a two-day total of 643 at state at the challenging, hazard-filled Hidden Lakes Country Club near Sandpoint. The Trojans finished 29 behind state champ Bishop Kelly, which won for a second consecutive year.

“We were disappointed. We felt we were better than what we shot,” Cuchessi said.

Cuchessi led the Trojans, shooting the best second-day score overall at 2-over 73. He finished with the third-best two-round total (149) behind medalist Jake Skinner of BK (69-78–147) and David Nuhn of Moscow (74-74–148). Zach Boughton, who led the Trojans in the regular season, shot 77 and 82, while Travis played beyond his freshman age with back-to-back 76s.

Disturbed by his scores at state, Zach Boughton bounced back in the summer, shooting a season-best 6-under 66 at the University of Idaho course in a Washington Junior Golf Association state-qualifying tournament.

Boughton started playing competitively five years ago. Cuchessi, the son of Hayden Lake Country Club assistant pro Tony Cuchessi, started knocking balls around when he was old enough to walk.

Unless an opportunity comes along that Boughton can’t turn down, golf will likely become something he plays recreationally after this season. He is planning to attend Montana State, which doesn’t have a golf program.

Cuchessi wants to play golf in college, but he isn’t sure where that will be yet.

Both Cuchessi and Boughton have struggled putting the past two seasons.

“It’s frustrating when you shoot 78 and half your shots are putts,” Cuchessi said. “We’ve left a lot of birdie putts out there. It’s a mental thing for me.”

Doerfler, who was shooting in the low 100s when he turned out as a freshman, is on the brink of breaking into the high 70s regularly. During spring break, he shot a personal-best 4-over 76 during a vacation in Arizona.

“That was a big confidence boost,” Doerfler said. “I feel like I have to fill in for (Travis). If he gets back I think we definitely have a shot at winning a state title.”

Newton agreed.

“We had a team meeting when we came back from spring break and we found out about Travis,” Newton said. “I think the guys feel like we need to really focus in now. I know whatever they do they’ll try very hard.”