 Wood River’s conference championship boys’ golf team poses after Monday’s accomplishment at Pocatello’s Juniper Hills Country Club. They are, from left, Davis Hague, medalist Jonathan Hobbs, Danny Sundali, Crockett Stearns, Chance McCroskey and coach Bill Petzke. Courtesy photo by Kristy Peterson
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It was a memorable day of "firsts" for the Wood River High School golf teams Monday on a breezy day at Pocatello's Juniper Hills Country Club.
Led by an 18-hole score of 74 carded by individual medalist Jonathan Hobbs, Wood River's boys' golf team won its first-ever Great Basin Conference district title by a convincing 13-stroke margin, 310 to 323, over Century of Pocatello.
Three-time defending conference champion and two-time defending State 4A titlist Pocatello finished a distant third Monday with 329 strokes.
Wood River's boys, dead last in the conference in 2006, earned their third consecutive State 4A golf tournament trip and will challenge for the state championship next week.
All five Wood River players shot 82 or better and four of them, the four counting in the team totals, all cracked 80. They were Hobbs 74, fourth-place Danny Sundali 78, fifth-place Crockett Stearns and Davis Hague 79, and Chance McCroskey with the 82.
"It was a good day for Wood River, both the boys' and girls' teams," said coach Bill Petzke.
The Hailey boys will be joined by the Wood River girls during the State 4A tournament May 11-12 at Jefferson Hills Golf Club in Rigby.
For the first time, the Wolverine girls have qualified for the state tournament. After not fielding a full team for last year's state-qualifying conference meet, Wood River finished second to Century Tuesday and will send a full team to state.
Senior Aimee Evans shot the best round of her season and "the best round of her life," Monday with an 88 for second place, coach Chet Olson said. The coach added, "I saw her during the day. She was real calm and just said to me, I'm having the game of my life."
Ashley Hesteness, a junior, captured sixth place with a 102. Other Wolverines at Pocatello were Karlie Jeneson 103 for seventh place, Jennie Williams 115 and Bailey Ireland 123.
Final girls' team scores were Century in first place with 380 led by individual medalist Hannah Newhouse (86), Wood River in second with 408, Burley also making state in third with 438, Preston 510, Pocatello 519 and Jerome 566.
The final boys' scores were Wood River 310, Century 323, Pocatello 329, Burley 337, Jerome 340, Minico 366 and Preston 372. Pocatello's Ryan Pearson and Jerome's Jordan Roberts tied for second with 77.
