STATE 6A, 5A GOLF TOURNAMENTS: Numbers could add up for Coeur d'Alene girls

By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

“Age is just a number.”

If everything goes right this week for the Coeur d’Alene girls golf team, whatever number their group of three sophomores and three freshmen put up in the state 6A golf tournament could be good enough for the program’s first title in program history.

“They might be young in terms of their age, but not in terms of maturity and experience,” fifth-year Coeur d’Alene girls golf coach Jeff Lake said. “I think our schedule this year really set them up for success, whether it was going down to the pre-state tournament at RedHawk (Aug. 28) or those same teams coming up to Palouse Ridge (Sept. 15). Or us going back to McCall (Sept. 9), they’re used to playing with the Boise kids.”

Sophomores Ella Wilson — the defending state 6A champion — as well as Leah Heavener and Jossetta Williams bring the most varsity experience for the Vikings this season. Heavener was the team’s alternate last year, stepping in on the final day when a teammate was unable to play due to illness.

“It was really nerve wracking," Heavener said. “I kind of enjoyed sitting in the golf cart and watching the first day. It was nice to play the second day too.”

Williams finished sixth individually last year at state.

“The course was really nice,” Williams said. “It was a weird course and a par 76, so there’s a bunch of par 5, but not a lot of chances to score low. When we played our practice round, I shot a 2-under, and was kind of sad that I couldn’t do that during the state tournament, but it’s OK. We’re all pretty locked in, we’re ready to go.”

They’ll get another opportunity today and Friday during the state 6A tournament at RedHawk Golf Course in Nampa.

Many, if not all, those players for Coeur d’Alene’s girls this week, compete in either the Idaho or Washington Junior Golf program.

“The six that we are bringing down there, really all of them play in so many IGA or WGA tournaments,” Lake said. “When they come out to large events, they don’t feel the nerves. Even though a lot of them can’t drive, they’re much more mature than their age, both on and off the golf course in the classroom. For missing as much time as they do, their grades are outstanding. They check all the boxes.”

At a state 6A tournament preview tournament in August at RedHawk, Coeur d’Alene finished second with a 314, 22 shots behind Rocky Mountain High of Meridian.

“It’s a really unique course,” Lake said. “The first six holes are down in a quarry, so it’s really a lot of elevation changes and things like that. The back nine or 12 holes are kind of like Meadowwood (in Liberty Lake).”

Rocky Mountain’s girls have won four straight team titles.

“For us, going down in August, a lot of it was going up against the four-time defending champion,” Lake said. “And that’s been in our mind a lot. Our goal is to get that out of our mind. We want to beat the course, and not the team.”

Coeur d’Alene beat Rocky Mountain in the Palouse Ridge Invitational on Sept. 15 by six strokes 314-320.

“We’ve focused on beating the course, understanding the yardages and we were able to beat them at Palouse Ridge,” Lake said. “We’ve played twice down there (at RedHawk), with a practice round. For us, going in August was a dress rehearsal for this one. Figuring out what the target points were. We figure the pins will be in similar positions. It’s about getting to know the course.”

Earlier this season, Heavener finished tied for 11th and Williams tied for 26th at RedHawk. Wilson did not play in the tournament.

“We learned to try to stay away from 6’s and 7’s and try to go for pars,” Heavener said. 

“If you stay clear of all the water and keep it on the fairway, you’re pretty safe,” Williams said. 

“Everyone just needs to lock in honestly,” Heavener said. “We’re all pretty locked in right now.”

So much so that they’ve got a vision of how things could turn out if everything goes according to plan.

“If we all shoot five 70s, because we feel like Ella’s going to shoot under (par), we’ll be in good shape,” Williams said. “If we can do that again, we can push Rocky Mountain.”

“Age is just a number,” Heavener said. 

6A BOYS: Last Monday, while playing at Avondale Golf Club in Hayden Lake, it was only the second time all season that the Viking boys had their projected varsity lineup on the course at the same time for a few very important reasons.

“We’re an academic first program,” seventh-year Coeur d’Alene boys coach Chase Bennett said. “Any time someone wants to hang back and take care of stuff in the classroom, I encourage that. All these tournaments are practices for districts and state, so it gives some of our younger kids the chance to play some tournaments. Missing a full day of school, which we do with a full schedule like ours, allows for opportunities for some of our other guys.”

Coeur d’Alene finished fifth at state last year in Pocatello.

Boise has won two of the last three state championships, winning in 2024 and again in 2022.

Coeur d’Alene sophomore Ben Focke finished tied for 11th at state as a freshman.

“It’s never easy going against the south schools,” Bennett said. “But we’ve got the talent to bring home some hardware. But the south teams are really strong. Mountain View had three players shoot in the 60’s in their top five. And Boise has been posting some really low scores. Really anyone could win it.”

Lake City junior Trey Lambert, who finished seventh as a freshman at Lewiston Country Club, qualified individually after finishing third in the 6A District 1 tournament at Avondale.

5A BOYS: Lakeland junior Tyler Zachary, who finished seventh at state last year at River’s Edge Golf Club in Burley, finished third at regionals to advance starting Friday at Purple Sage Golf Course in Caldwell.

“All aspects of Tyler’s game have improved over the last year,” third-year Lakeland coach Colleen Hall-Headley said. “But his putting has especially taken a huge leap forward. We think Tyler will respond well to Purple Sage Golf Course and its setup.”

5A GIRLS: Lakeland’s top three golfers — junior Dani Russell, freshman Paige Carey and sophomore Ellie Austad — have each had a moment for the Hawks, who finished runner-up at districts to qualify for state.

“Our girls are strong because they support each other,” Hall-Headley said. “Our No. 1-3 have all been the top 5A scorer in at least one regular season tournament this season, so that depth is nice to have. Dani’s game has improved over the past year and so has the game of our other returners (Austad, senior Bridget Derbyshire and sophomore Kendal Prety). That combined with Paige coming in strong as a freshman have led our girls averaging 75 strokes better as a team at tournaments this season. We believe they will end the season strong in their showing at state.”

Bishop Kelly swept the boys and girls team titles last year at state. It was the third-straight for the Knight boys of Boise.

The state 5A tournament concludes Saturday in Caldwell.

    Courtesy photo The Coeur d'Alene boys golf team will compete in the state 6A tournament starting today at RedHawk Golf Course in Nampa. From left are Coeur d'Alene boys golf coach Chase Bennett, Brady Rubert, Ben Focke, Kellan Christensen, Dylan Cook and Hunter Paquin.
  

    Courtesy photo Lakeland High golfers, from left, Tyler Zachary, Ellie Austad and Dani Russell qualified for the state 5A tournament by finishing in the top four at the Region 1 tournament on Oct. 3 at the University of Idaho Golf Course in Moscow.
  

    Courtesy photo The Lakeland High girls golf team qualified for the state 5A tournament by finishing runner-up in the Region 1 tournament on Oct. 3 at the University of Idaho Golf Course in Moscow. From left are Kendal Prety, Ellie Austad, Dani Russell, Paige Carey and Bridget Derbyshire.