By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
SALEM, Ore.– Salem Academy’s Chloe Johnston set the tone early in Day 1 of the 4A/3A/2A/1A Special District 3 League Tournament on Monday, going four-under par at the Santiam Golf Course thanks to seven birdies in the opening round of the two-day event. Johnston continued her momentum into Day 2 of the tournament Tuesday, pushing her score to seven-under par by the 16th hole before ending the round four-under par.
A two-day total of 140 won the sophomore the event by five strokes over Crusader teammate Ellie Gladow, who shot a two-day 145 score, good for one-over par. Johnston finished the tournament as well, with ten birdies and 22 par’s over the 36-hole tournament.
“It’s a lot of fun. I had a lot of good birdies, and it was really short-yardage, but it made it kind of fun,” said Johnston. “It was super fun to be out here with my team and play a good course.”
The course itself was a short one, only 4,100 yards compared to the state course at Trysting Tree in Corvallis, which is at 4,870 yards. But the course at Santiam did give golfers like Johnston an opportunity to work on their small game.
“It really makes you focus on your short-game, so I had to make sure I had my chipping and putting dial in, so I worked a lot with that last little bit,” said Johnston. “It’ll be helpful for State, so I’ll have that.”
A year after winning the District Title, Salem Academy repeated as District Champions as the four Crusader golfers went first, second, fifth and seventh respectively, winning the event by 139 strokes over Harrisburg, who qualified as a team out of the District. The Eagles shot a two-day total of 765 to the Crusaders 626.
Salem Academy’s Alex Willcoxen finished tied for fifth with Santiam Christian’s Beau Hynes with a two-day score of 169. Hynes was one of two individual golfers who qualified for the State Tournament from the District. Salem Academy’s Sloane James finished seventh with a two-day total of 172 as Salem Academy will now look to defend their 4A/3A/2A/1A State Title at Trysting Tree Golf Course.
“Last year, we didn’t know that we were in it until all of a sudden we were on the top. All of us want to do it again, but we’re going to play against the course and see what happens,” said Gladow. “We’re just going to go out there and have fun, make putts, stick it close, make drives, and hopefully that’s what we’ll need.”
Santiam Christian’s Akria White finished third with a two-day score of 165, qualifying for the State Meet with her teammate in Hynes. Harrisburg’s Peyton Taylor finished fourth to lead the Eagles with a two-day score of 167.
Blanchet’s Hallie Beyer and Whiteny Whitaker finished eighth and ninth, respectively. Beyer shot a 175, and Whitaker shot a 178. Whitaker made four birdies on Day 2 of the District Tournament, and Stayton’s Forrest Keith rounded out the Top 10 with a two-day score of 179. North Marion’s Riley Patzer finished 11th with a two-day score of 180 with a birdie.
Top 5 Indivdual’s
1. Chloe Johnston (SA) 140
2. Ellie Gladsow (SA) 145
3. Akira White (Santiam Christian) 165
4. Peyton Taylor (Harrisburg) 167
T5. Beau Hynes (SC)169
T5. Alex Willcoxen (SA) 169
Top 5 Team Scores
1. Salem Academy 636
2. Harrisburg 765
3. Santiam Christian 775
4. Philomath 797
5. Amity 825
Photos By Jeremy
