STATE 6A GOLF TOURNAMENT: Lambert, Wilson lead after first day ... Coeur d'Alene girls nine shots back of four-time defending champion Rocky Mountain

NAMPA — Confidence went a long way for the kids from the Coeur d’Alene School District on Thursday. 

On one side, Lake City junior Trey Lambert, who was seventh at state as a freshman, just woke up ready. 

Coeur d’Alene sophomore Ella Wilson, defending her state 6A title, just knew she’d bounce back. 

Lambert shot a 4-under-par 67 to take a one-stroke lead after the first day of the state 6A boys tournament at RedHawk Golf Course. 

“He’s been striking the ball really well and feeling confident,” Lake City boys coach Nik Bjurstrom said. “He’d had a few putts lately that hadn’t gone his way, but I told him that once one falls, the rest of them will.” 

Lambert birdied four of his last five holes. 

“He was really consistent all day,” Bjurstrom said. “You could tell he was in a good spot and he was going to come out and play well. He had a good practice round, the weather was perfect, and he plays well in those conditions.” 

For Wilson, the round started with a lost ball on the first hole, but she bounced back for a 2-under 69, building a three-shot lead. 

“She had a couple of putts that just lipped out,” Coeur d’Alene girls coach Jeff Lake said. “Her ball on the first hole got plugged into the ground (found by a coach from another team a couple hours later), and for her to come back for that, it was great to see. To her, it was no big deal. But we might have had 30 people out looking for it and it was totally plugged into the ground. She just had the attitude that she’d get it back on the next hole.” 

Coeur d’Alene’s girls are second with a 307, nine strokes behind four-time defending champion Rocky Mountain of Meridian, which shot 298 on the first day. Sophomore Leah Heavener is tied for sixth with a 76 and freshman Emily Stillert tied for 12th with an 80 for the Vikings. 

“For the girls to be within nine, we feel good about where we’re at,” Lake said. “Leah was awesome today and has been so steady that we believe she’ll have a low round tomorrow. Emily had a streaky round, but we’ve talked with her about slowing things down. To us, we’re not playing with any pressure. They’re the champs, and we’ve got to go knock them off. Leaving the course, it was just a positive feel. No matter what happens, we’re going to be happy with how we played.”

Sophomore Ben Focke, medalist at the District 1 tournament, is ninth with a 72, sophomore Hunter Paquin tied for 14th with a 74 for Coeur d'Alene's boys, who are seventh with a 317. Mountain View of Meridian leads with a 285.

"Both Ben and Hunter went out and just did what they do as far as being consistent with their scores," Coeur d'Alene boys coach Chase Bennett said. 

The tournament concludes today.

BOYS 

At RedHawk Golf Course, Nampa 

Par 71 

6,208 yards

TEAM SCORES — 1, Mountain View 285. 2, Timberline 293. 3, Boise 299. 4, Thunder Ridge 305. 5, Rocky Mountain 311. 6, Highland 315. 7, Coeur d’Alene 317. 8, Eagle 326. 

TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS — 1, Trey Lambert, Lake City, 67. 2, Justin Anderson, Thunder Ridge, 68. 3 (tie), Luke Drescher, Timberline; Gavin Mlynarik, Mountain View, 69. 5 (tie), Andy Metzler, Timberline; Mason McGee, Mountain View; Jack Bureau, Boise, 70. 8, Jordan Atkinson, Timberline, 71. 9, Ben Focke, Coeur d’Alene, 72. 10 (tie), Brayden Johnson, Meridian; Porter Bickford, Mountain View; Kaden Gempler, Mountain View; Reid Hoppock, Boise, 73. 

COEUR d’ALENE — 9, Ben Focke, 72; t-14, Hunter Paquin, 74; t-26, Brady Rubert, 80; 44, Kellan Christensen, 91; 47, Dylan Cook, 98. 

LAKE CITY — 1, Trey Lambert, 67. 

GIRLS 

Par 71 

5,885 yards

TEAM SCORES — 1, Rocky Mountain 298. 2, Coeur d’Alene 307. 3, Eagle 342. 4, Mountain View 346. 5, Highland 357. 6, Canyon Ridge 364. 7, Borah 379. 

TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS — 1, Ella Wilson, Coeur d’Alene, 69. 2 (tie), Zoe Moore, Rocky Mountain; Maggie Urian, Rocky Mountain, 72. 4, Ellianna Hoopes, Rocky Mountain, 74. 5, Danika Humphries, Canyon Ridge, 75. 6 (tie), Alexandra Jensen, Centennial; Leah Heavener, Coeur d’Alene, 76. 8, Indie Taylor, Eagle, 77. 9 (tie), Anna Li, Boise; Lucy Johnson, Borah, 78. 

COEUR d’ALENE — 1, Ella Wilson, 69; t-6, Leah Heavener, 76; t-12, Emily Stillert, 80; 18, Kinsley Meier, 82; 21, Jossetta Williams, 85. 

    Ella Wilson