Girls golf team claims Metro title

JEFFERSON MUNICIPAL, BEACON HILL — The Bainbridge girls golf team finished first at the Metro Championship Golf Tournament, but if they could, they’d give it back to get one of their own to districts.

Sophomore Melanie Trygg was disqualified when she found her ball in an unplayable lie and thought it was out of bounds. So, she picked up her original ball and continued to play with a provisional ball.

Under the rules of the tournament, however, a golfer must employ the unplayable rule, which means to take a penalty and drop your ball from the spot where you found it.

When Trygg played her provisional ball, it became the wrong ball and wasn’t fixed before the next hole, which meant she was automatically disqualified.

“She’s very honest, very intelligent, but she just misunderstood the rule,” head coach Steve Nielsen said. “She made an honest mistake.

“It’s been very traumatic for her. She has a lot of passion for golf. I don’t want anyone to think she was bending the rules or being dishonest in any way.”

Trygg, who made it to the state tournament as a freshman, will not be able to participate in next spring’s District 2 golf tournament nor the state tournament.

Nielsen was in the clubhouse helping to keep score and was one of the last to know. He said not one coach or official came to him to inform him of the issue.

“It was not handled well,” he said. “It was all brand new to me and I didn’t have a chance to digest it or anything.”

Nielsen said there were no officials or coaches to help explain the rule to Trygg, despite the assigning of coaches to help on the course.

“She clearly broke the rule, but it was preventable. It should not have happened,” he said. “But I told them we’ll be better for this.”

Nielsen said he has filed a complaint to the Metro League through athletic director Neal White.

Katie Saucier finished second to Katrina Hegge of Seattle Prep, while Rachel Frease finished in fourth place.

Marley Horne finished in ninth place, while Annalise Herr was tied for 22nd.

All four will move on to Washington National in Auburn for the tournament in May.

Spartan golfers bested at Metro

JEFFERSON MUNICIPAL, BEACON HILL — All they needed was one more stroke. But the Bainbridge boys golf team couldn’t get it as they finished second to the O’Dea Fighting Irish at the Metro Golf Championship in Seattle on Thursday.

The final tally: Bainbridge, 579. O’Dea, 578.

It’s the first time in two years the boys squad didn’t come home with a gold trophy in their arms, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. All six Spartan golfers shot 78 or better, with Jamie Neill posting a career best 67.

O’Dea’s sextet, including the foursome of Kevin Trudell, Brett Ramey, Sandy Vaughn and Cory Mehl shot 71 or better, with Mehl posting a 60 to set a new course record at Jefferson and collect his first individual conference championship.

“We just tip our caps to them,” said Paul DeBarros. “They (O’Dea) brought their ‘A’ game today. All of them went out.”

Austin Hurt, who was in the foursome with Mehl, watched him set the course on fire – even seeing him sink a 55-foot putt on the 18th hole.

“He was doing it all day,” he said. “It was awesome to watch, but hard at the same time, because it was disgusting.”

Austin wouldn’t be rattled though, as he posted a 72 for the day.

“It didn’t bother me too much, because I still think I had a chance, but he just lit it up,” he continued. “We were pretty much playing for second. He was throwing darts out there.”

Head coach Bob Dwyer was impressed with O’Dea’s play as well.

“They made a tough course look like a pitch ’n putt,” he said. “When Jamie careers a 67 and still gets beat, that just shows how much their players were on fire.”

But he was still happy with his squad’s performance, as Neill, Austin and DeBarros, along with Ricky Ulloa, Kyle Hurt and David Botefuhr all qualified for next Monday’s District 2 tournament.

“My kids improved by 31 strokes over Tuesday’s round (at West Seattle). That’s phenomenal,” he said. “You can’t beat that (O’Dea’s score). Just celebrate that you had a fun day.”

DeBarros said winning would have been nice, but they’re looking at “the big picture.

“It’s good that we got six in (to districts),” he said. “Jamie shot well and Ricky played solidly. We had a lot of good rounds.”

Dwyer hopes that four or five of his golfers can make it to the big dance.

“It’s just a matter of kismet,” he said. “I’ll take what I can get. I just hope they put out their best effort. Just keep slugging.”

Neill finished second overall while Austin finished third overall. DeBarros finished in eighth place.

The Spartans move on to the District 2 tournament at Washington National in Auburn on Monday. The top 20 golfers from that tournament will move on to the state tournament.

Whalen rebreaks diving record

Bainbridge senior diver Stephanie Whalen rebroke her diving record as the girls swim and dive team set more state qualifying times at the last home meet of the season on Thursday.

The Spartans defeated the Seattle Prep Panthers by a score of 113.5 to 68.5 on the strength of several strong times and dives.

Whalen obliterated her old record of 247.9 with a score of 267 points achieved in six dives.

Anne Scott set her fastest times of the year in the 50 freestyle with a mark of 23.92 and in the 100 freestyle with a time of 51.93.

Tessa Griffin set a state qualifying time in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 1:01.13.

Griffin and Scott, along with Isabel Williams and Keziah Beall, set a state qualifying time in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:50.98.

The Spartans will be in East Wenatchee today to take on Eastmont. They will take part in the Metro qualifying meet next Friday at Madison Pool in North Seattle.

Spikers take Metro Mountain Division

It’s one title down for the Bainbridge volleyball team, and there could be more to come.

The Spartans swept the Bishop Blanchet Braves at Blanchet High on Wednesday by the scores of 25-22, 25-16 and 25-18 to win the Metro League Mountain Division championship outright. Last year they tied with the Braves for first in the division.

“It was a lot easier than we thought it was going to be,” head coach Julie Miller said. “We came out ready to play, and I think they were feeling the pressure after they had lost to Seattle Prep. It was their Senior Night, so I think that played a factor in it as well.”

The win also ensures Bainbridge of the number one seed going into the Metro League tournament next week.

Miller, who is currently in Albuquerque, N.M. watching her daughter Michelle play at the University of New Mexico, said while the win is “nice,” they still have to come out and play.

“It was a good win, but come Monday we gotta get down and get back to work again,” she said.

Sabrina Tan had eight kills and seven digs, while Marijke Schwarz-Smith collected seven kills and three blocks.

Hannah Stuart had six kills, eight digs and one ace; Becky Gottlieb had 10 digs; Lindsey Bratonia finished with six digs; Ali Post had 15 assists and seven digs; Alexa Seidl posted seven assists; and Kelcey Dunaway two kills, one ace and one block.

As the number one seed, Bainbridge receives an automatic pass to the semifinals and won’t play until 11 a.m. next Saturday at West Seattle High.