The Tillamook High Cheesemakers boys golf team had their best performance of the season to qualify for the OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union Class 4A/3A/2A/1A State Championship Tournament for the first time since 2022.
The Cheesemakers competed at the tournament on May 13 and 14, at Emerald Valley Golf Club in Creswell, check next week’s edition for those results.
The Cheesemakers, guided by seventh-year Coach Johnny Begin, took fourth place in the 17-team regional tourney May 6 and 7 at Quail Valley Golf Course in Banks. The Cheesemakers quartet of sophomore Triton Faber, seniors Tanner Hoskins and Seth Wehinger, and junior Diego Barragan Lara combined for a 36-hole team score of 734. The underdog Mooks squad surprised everyone at the event, including Begin.
“Making it to state was a shocker for sure,” said Begin, who has guided a Mooks four-player squad to state twice in his coaching career. “I didn’t think we would do it, but man they came out and played really well both days. We went from last place in our league to a top-10 position in the state. This is a pretty special group of boys who just love to compete and I’m very proud of them. Tanner played really good both days and he shot a personal best score of 82 in the first round of the tourney.”
Seaside and Scappoose tied for first place at 692, followed by Crook County at 718, Tillamook, Madras (740) and St. Helens (742). The top four teams qualified for state.
On Day 1 of the event, Faber shot a personal best score of 79, which marked his first ever score below 80. He was followed by Hoskins (82), Wehinger (90) and Barragan Lara (95). Freshman Peyton Murphy shot a uncounted score of 117 for Tillamook.
On Day 2, Hoskins led the Mooks while shooting a 90, followed by Faber (98), Wehinger (100) and Barragan Lara (100). Murphy shot uncounted score of 132. Hoskins finished fifth individually at 172 out of a field of 55 golfers. Faber finished tied for 10th place with Landon Hays of St. Helens at 177.
“Triton had to play with the top players on Day 2 and he struggled a little bit,” said Begin. “Because he did so well on Day 1, his two scores were averaged and he finished 10th, so we had two guys in the top-10 with Triton and Tanner. It was a great turnout for the team. For our third and fourth players Seth and Diego, this is their first season ever of playing golf. At the beginning of the season, they were shooting around the 110 range and now they’re shooting in the low 90’s. They’re the ones who got us to state and they both came out and just played awesome golf. They’ve both cut down 10 to 15 strokes from where they were earlier in the season just by practicing every day and really working on their game. Our four of our guys shot career best scores in the tournament.”
The Mooks girls squad took seventh place at the regional with a score of 942. The Mooks’ best player, senior Mallie Lewis, was unable to play on day 2 because of a severely sore knee. On day 1, Lewis led the Mooks with a 116, followed by senior Lexie Graves (118), junior Stella Hurliman (123) and senior Annika Norberg (126). Junior Kelsey Leonnig shot a uncounted score of 136 for Tillamook.
On Day 2, Graves shot a 112, followed by Norberg (114), junior Kennedy Moncrief (114) and Leonnig (119). Hurliman shot a uncounted score of 127. For Graves, Lewis and Norberg, the regional marked the final event of their Tillamook High School career. Graves finished 25th individually out of a field of 69 golfers.
“The boys team far exceeded my expectations,” said Begin. “I didn’t really have anything planned for the state tournament, so I really had to scramble around. All the other coaches were congratulating us because nobody really thought that we would make it to state. We lost to every team in the Cowapa League this year. But we never really had a full squad in any event, so it was kind of hard to tell where we really were, but now we’re just peaking at the right time. The state tournament is a pretty special event for the kids and they always get treated like royalty there.”
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