Boys golf team takes second at district

The boys golf team placed second at the Sky-Em League Championships held at the Tokatee Golf Club on Monday and Tuesday, May 11-12.

Sisters posted a two-day score of 668, behind first-place Marist, who recorded a two-day total of 631. Junction City placed third (707), Cottage Grove fourth (750), La Pine fifth (761) and Elmira rounded out the scoring with 815. Sisters and Marist will both advance to the state championships on Monday and Tuesday, May 18 and 19 at Quail Valley in Banks, Oregon.

Elio Keller carded a 76 on day one and an 81 on day two for a two-day total of 157 to finish second overall.

Keller had three birdies on the first day, including a birdie on hole No. 2 (par 4). Keller hit a long drive, and his next shot placed the ball to within five feet of the pin. Elio made a perfect putt for birdie.

"Elio hit the ball really good in every aspect," said Coach Jeff Barton. "For a stretch of four holes he was unbelievable. He hit the ball close and left himself very short putts."

Jeff Fought recorded a two-day total of 166, Cody Farr-Baenziger 171, Jonathan Standen 174, and Aaron Simundson finished at 184.

The fine weather conditions golfers enjoyed their first day out dissipated the following day.

Barton said, "It was rainy and cold with some breaks of sunshine. One minute it would be sunny, and then we'd get dumped on."

Despite the weather, Fought turned in a great round and tied with Keller with a score of 81.

"It's really ironic," said Barton, "but Jeff (Fought) plays his best golf in the worst conditions."

Barton told The Nugget that overall he felt his team played mediocre golf but thinks the team will do better at state. Barton said the team has readjusted their goals and hope to come back with a trophy

Of his second-place overall finish Keller said, "It felt good to place second, and I had a lot of fun, but after two days of golf I was ready to go home. Most important was that as a team we qualified for state."

The Outlaws wrapped up league play a week earlier with a first-place finish out of nine teams at Aspen Lakes on Friday, May 8.

Sisters took top honors with a team score of 324. Crook County was 11 strokes back, at 335, to finish as runner-up. Madras placed third (363) and Cottage Grove took fourth, at 386.

Cody Farr-Baenziger led the Outlaws with an 80, and both Jonathan Standen and Aaron Simundson were just one stroke back at 81. Elio Keller carded an 82, and Jeff Fought rounded out the scoring with an 86.

"We played very consistent golf and seem to be peaking at the right time," said Barton.

Four days earlier, Sisters battled brutal weather conditions and finished fourth out of 11 at the Summit Broken Top Invitational in Bend.

"Considering the horrible weather, including cold, wind and pelting rain, we played well," said Barton. "We kept our focus, and in weather like that, it's hard to do."

Farr-Baenziger led Sisters with an 82 and Fought finished with an 83. Standen, Keller and Simundson all recorded a score of 84.