BREMERTON — Mitch Black has guided Chimacum to a host of Nisqually and Olympic League titles in his 39 years in charge of the Cowboys golf program.
But as far as Black could remember, he hadn’t coached a team to a district championship.
Until Tuesday.
Chimacum qualified four golfers for next week’s Class 1A state tournament and the West Central District 1A Boys Golf Championship on the Olympic Course at Gold Mountain Golf Club.
Marcus Bufford led the Cowboys with a 12-over-par 84, good for a tie for fourth place.
James Porter was next with an 85, Jack Hilt fired an 86 and Chris Bainbridge shot 87 to book trips to the state tournament at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco.
“I think it’s the first time in 39 years that we’ve won the district championship,” Black said.
“We’ve had really good teams over the years, but I don’t recall us ever winning the district championship.”
Black, who will retire from coaching after the state tournament, has been pleased with the play of his team in the back stretch of the season and that continued after Tuesday’s rounds.
“It’s a pretty neat way to end things as far as league competition,” Black said.
“They’ve really come on toward the end of the season. And when you think about it, we were just one shot away from winning the league.”
The Cowboys were edged out for the Olympic League crown by one stroke in a league match at rival Port Townsend.
Chimacum defeated league champ Port Angeles in the Port Ludlow Invitational and in the final regular season match earlier this month.
“They’ve developed over the year, made strides in their games and getting four to state is a big step,” Black said.
The Cowboys got some revenge on the Redhawks on Tuesday, winning the team title 103 to 66.
Port Townsend qualified two golfers for the state tournament. Senior Zack Glover finished tied for second after shooting an 83.
“He’s happy he’s going to state but he’s not real pleased about how he played,” Redhawks coach Gabriel Tonan said.
Austin Khile carded a 91, good for 13th place.
Patrick Morton is a state alternate for Port Townsend after shooting 95.
Glover and Khile will get the benefit of some course wisdom from Tonan, who worked at Sun Willows for three years.
“I do have some good local knowledge of the course,” Tonan said.
“There are more trees than when I worked there, but it’s the same course layout.”
Black is familiar with the course as well, the site having hosted previous state golf championships.
“It has a few challenging holes but it’s a little like [Cedars at] Dungeness,” Black said.
“The fairways aren’t so tight you get claustrophobic. It’s always in nice shape and the greens should be firm and it will be dry.”
Brown makes state
Port Angeles senior Alex Brown qualified for the state tournament, finishing fourth after shooting seven-over-par 79 at the 2A West Central District Tournament, also held on the Olympic Course at Gold Mountain.
Brown will join teammates Alex Atwell and Mason Jackson at the state meet.
“I’m so proud of him,” Roughriders coach Mark Mitrovich said.
“Alex got over the hump [for his first state berth] and left no doubt.”
Brown found trouble off the first tee, carding a triple-bogey seven on the first hole.
“It really was a brilliant round,” Mitrovich said.
“The course was tough.
“They just held the NCAA Men’s West Regional here over the weekend and the rough was really high.”
Brown finished in style with an eagle-2 on the par-4 18th hole.
“He drove it over the water hazard and made a tough, sidehill 25-footer for eagle,” Mitrovich said.
Sequim results
Sequim’s Alex McCracken and Jade Arnold missed out on state after shooting rounds of 95 and 100, respectively.
“Alex was doing pretty well but had a tough two finishing holes and it got away from him,” Wolves coach Bill Shea said.
“Usually Gold Mountain is pretty open but you could tell they’ve been growing up the rough.
“The fairways were narrower, and with the summer rules it really made for a challenging round.”
Sequim will have two golfers competing at state, Shea’s son Jack, and Travis Priest qualified at last week’s Olympic League Championship.
Two more to state
The Wolves’ Brianna Kettel and Kailee Price each qualified for the girls 2A state tournament at MeadowWood Golf Course in Liberty Lake.
Kettel shot a 90 to finish second behind Bremerton’s Tucker Alexander.
Price carded a 93.
“They both played their best rounds of the year,” Sequim coach Gary Kettel said.
“We don’t get a chance to play many 18-hole rounds, so that was a change but they really played solid golf.”
Brianna Kettel shot 45 on both the front and back nines and Price came in at 47 and 46.
“They were both steady and consistent,” Gary Kettel said.
“Between the two I think they only got in the woods once and Brianna got it in the water one time.”
Kettel and Price will join teammate and Olympic League Champion Alex McMenamin at the state tourney.
