Union-Bulletin

WALLA WALLA - Tyler Salsbury of Enumclaw shot a second straight 3-under-par 69 Thursday at the Walla Walla Country Club to take sole possession of first place in the boys 16-17 age division of the Washington Junior Golf Association Championships.

And he found himself confronted with a new challenger in the process.

Salsbury, who opened play Wednesday at the Wine Valley Golf Course with a 69 and shared first-place honors with Michael Almonte of Fircrest and Chris Tedesco of Gig Harbor, held a two-shot lead over Redmond's Garrett Foss going into today's third and final round of play in the 54-hole event.

Foss, who shot a 1-over 73 Wednesday at Wine Valley, turned in the day's best score on Thursday as he tore up the country club course with a 5-under-par 67 that left him at 140, four shots under par and two behind Salsbury entering today's play.

Almonte followed up his first-round 69 with an even-par score of 72 Thursday and was three shots back of the leader at 141. Tedesco managed a 2-over 74 Thursday and was in a a four-way tie for fourth place at 143, five shots off the pace.

Also in at 143 were Li Wang of Sammamish, Chris Babcock of Shoreline and Zack Spencer of Mead. Wang carded a 1-under 71 Thursday, Babcock shot even-par 72 and Spencer came in with a 73.

Woodinville's Oliver Rudnicki made of the most ground on Thursday as he toured the country club course in 4-under-par 68 after an opening-round 81 at Wine Valley. But his 36-hole score of 149 left him tied for 16th place, 11 shots off the pace.

Frank Garber of Kirkland and Michael Baldeck of Clarkston shared the top spot in the boys 14-15 age group and remained in contention for the overall championship with 36-hole scores of 142, two strokes under par. Garber shot a 2-under 70 Thursday at the country club after matching par-72 Wednesday at Wine Valley; Baldeck was just the opposite, opening with a 2-under 70 at Wine Valley and matching the country club's par-72 on Thursday.

Garber and Baldeck were three shots in front of Sammamish's Brian Mogg, who shot a 2-under 70 Thursday for a 145 total. Clyde Hill's Eugene Wackerbarth clipped one shot off par Thursday after an opening-round 75 and was tied for fourth place in the division with Nolan Cull of Lake Tapps, both at 146.

Players 14 through 17 are eligible for the overall title.

Walla Walla's Nick Atwood shot an 81 Thursday on his home course and improved by two shots over Wedndesday's Wine Valley effort, but his 164 total score wasn't enough to survive the cut for today's final round.

In the girls 16-17 division, Savana Bezdicek of Colbert retained the lead with a second-round 77 at Wine Valley for a 36-hole score of 151. She was two shots in front of Alexus Song of Auburn, who shot a 1-over-par 73 at Wine Valley for a 153 score. Kassidy Long-Goheen of Gig Harbor found Wine Valley even more to her liking, shooting even-par 72 Thursday for a 10-stroke improvement that left her alone in third place at 154.

But the best girls' scores were still coming out of the 14-15 age group where Catherina Li of Kent rifled a 2-under-par 70 Thursday at Wine Valley for a 145 total that was good for a three-shot lead for the overall title.

Amy Hasenoehrl of Lewiston shot 76 Thursday after a first-round 72 at the country club and was alone in second, both in the division and for the overall title, at 148. It was another shot back to Bree Wanderscheid of Goldendale, who carded a 76 Thursday for a 149 overall score.

Walla Walla's Jessica Huntsman did not find Wine Valley to her liking as she managed a score of 89 that left her at 169 for the tournament, not good enough to survive the cut.

Walla Walla's Emily Baumgart did qualify for today's third and final round in the girls 12-13 division, although she lost ground on the leaders during the second day of play at Veterans Memorial Golf Course. Baumgart shot 83 on Thursday after a first-round 81, and her 164 total was good for fourth place, five shots out of the lead.

Sarah Lawrence of Duvall and Ashley Fitzgibbons of Sammamish shared the top spot at 159 after matching 6-over-par 78s on Thursday.

Lawrence and Fitzgibbons scored identical 81s on Wednesday and shared second place with Baumgart, three shots in back of Seattle's Sarah Rhee, who enjoyed an opening-round 78. However, Rhee increased to 83 on Thursday and was alone in third place at 161, two shots off the pace and three ahead of Baumgart.

Abigail Euyang of Seattle carded a nine-hole score of 40 Thursday for an 18-hole total of 81 and was nine shots ahead of Gabrielle Ferreria of University Place in the girls 8-11 division. And Alvin Kwak of Snohomish shot a 1-over-par 37 for a 3-over 75 and was two shots ahead of Joe Highsmith of Lakewood in the boys 8-11 group.

All age groups played today's final round at the country club, with the 8-11 boys and girls slated for a full 18-hole round.

WJGA State Championships

Second Round

Boys 16-17 Division

At Walla Walla Country Club

Tyler Salsbury, Enumclaw 69-69-138

Garrett Foss, Redmond 73-67-140

Michael Almonte, Fircrest 69-72-141

Li Wang, Sammamish 72-71-143

Chris Babcock, Shoreline 71-72-143

Zack Spencer, Mead 70-73-143

Chris Tedesco, Gig Harbor 69-74-143

Charlie Kern, Mercer Island 70-74-144

James Feutz, University Place 70-74-144

Brennan Emory, Mount Vernon 70-75-145

Kelly Campbell, Auburn 73-72-145

Anthony Allen, Arlington 75-72-147

Cooper Wright, Moscow, Idaho 75-72-147

David Won, Bothell 75-73-148

Ryan Books, Seattle 76-72-148

Ryan Wallen, Blaine 74-75-149

Oliver Rudnicki, Woodinville 81-68-149

Tye Morrison, Mead 75-74-149

Kyle Cornett, Mill Creek 74-76-150

Samson Martinez, Pasco 76-74-150

Chris Hatch, Mukilteo 75-76-151

Abe Kim, Mukilteo 75-76-151

Rylee Iacolucci, South Cle Elum 77-74-151

Nick Atkin, Kennewick 74-77-151

Tyler Carlson, Clarkston 77-74-151

Michael Porter, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 77-74-151

Austin Billeter, Mead 76-75-151

Ian Briske, Spanaway 78-74-152

John-Michael Larson, Spokane 78-74-152

Ryan Fenton, Snohomish 77-76-153

William Whealdon, Bainbridge Island 72-81-153

Luke Kilcup, Gig Harbor 74-79-153

Cole Lorenzo, Richland 74-79-153

Preston Gillihan, Puyallup 80-73-153

Boys 14-15 Division

At Walla Walla Country Club

Frank Garber, Kirkland 72-70-142

Michael Baldeck, Clarkston 70-72-142

Brian Mogg, Sammamish 75-70-145

Eugene Wackerbarth, Clyde Hill 75-71-146

Nolan Cull, Lake Tapps 73-73-146

Brian Moon, Mukilteo 70-77-147

Joe Harvie, Orting 72-75-147

Eric Ansett, Spokane 75-74-149

Gregory Gildea, Vashon 79-70-149

Spencer Weiss, Sammamish 75-75-150

Stephen Roller, Hayden, Idaho 73-77-150

Chase Carlson, Tacoma 74-76-150

Tanner Comes, Spokane 78-73-151

Brendan McCauley, Olympia 77-75-152

Aubrey MacKenzie, Poulsbo 76-76-152

Aaron Whalen, Ephrata 78-75-152

Brett Manke, Lakewood 74-79-153

Kenny Dodge, Post Falls, Idaho 78-75-153

Ahren Young, Renton 75-78-153

Tanner Kovacevich, Edgewood 76-77-153

Patrick Sato, Bellevue 75-79-154

Radleigh Ang, Medina 76-78-154

Joe Fryer, Mukilteo 75-80-155

Jake Ryerson, Seattle 79-76-155

Dylan Merrill, Edmonds 78-78-156

Andy Liu, Bellevue 78-78-156

Beau Wangler, Selah 79-77-156

Matthew Kornegay, Mukilteo 78-80-158

Zack Oversstreet, Issaquah 83-75-158

Matthew Philichi, Gig Harbor 77-81-158

Eric Dahl, Richland 80-78-158

Andrew Hattori, Richland 80-78-158

Michael Brutacao, Spokane 79-79-158

Trevor Fedele, Post Falls, Idaho 78-80-158

Boys 12-13 Division

At Veterans Memorial Golf Course

Sam Warkentin, Bainbridge Island 76-72-148

Spencer Tibbits, Vancouver 74-74-148

John Sand, Hoquiam 77-73-150

Travis Kay, Ellensburg 73-79-152

Grant Cole, Redmond 76-77-153

Vincent Vu, Auburn 76-77-153

Zachary Evens, Mercer Island 78-78-156

Kenneth Sheldon, Ocean Park 78-80-158

Joseph Baldeck, Clarkston 78-80-158

Joe Lyon, Tacoma 86-74-160

RJ Manke, Lakewood 83-78-161

Holden Backes, Yakima 79-83-162

Troy Johnston, Puyallup 76-86-162

Sean Yi, Federal Way 83-79-162

Stephen Taylor Hopkins, Redmond 80-83-163

Tiger Nelson, Medina 81-83-164

Ryan Ray, Richland 84-81-165

Luke Doss, Seatac 83-83-166

Boys 8-11 Division

At Veterans Memorial Golf Course

9 Holes

Alvin Kwak, Snohomish 38-37-75

Joe Highsmith, Lakewood 38-39-77

Ian Siebers, Bellevue 39-39-78

Conner Golembeski, Redmond 41-39-80

Ryan Park, Bellevue 39-41-80

Ryan Feyrer, Lacey 40-41-81

Dylan Bissell, Yakima 39-42-81

Sean Kato, Redmond 43039-82

Nathan Cogswell, Kent 43-39-82

Parker Kneadler, Maple Valley 43-39-82

Colt Sherrell, Maple Valley 40-42-82

Tyler Aamold, Startup 41-43-84

Clayton Thatcher, Tacoma 40-44-84

Victor Wang, Sammamish 42-43-85

Girls 16-17 Division

At Wine Valley Golf Course

Savana Bezdicek, Colbert 74-77-151

Alexus Song, Auburn 80-73-153

Kassidy Long-Goheen, Gig Harbor 82-72-154

Sammie Pless, Seattle 82-77-159

Jessica Kent, Bellevue 84-75-159

Taylor Anderson, Moscowm, Idaho 84-75-159

Amanda Beyke, Federal Way 81-78-159

Amanda Fairweather, Maple Valley 82-78-160

Cassandra McKinley, Shoreline 82-79-161

Haley Chinn, Mercer Island 81-80-161

Alyssa Maine, Spokane 87-76-163

Sydney Kersten, Spokane 84-81-165

Kristen Hansen, Spokane 86-80-166

Jamie Huo, Kent 84-82-166

Kristin Strankman, Richland 84-83-167

Madeline Dodge, Post Falls, Idaho 85-82-167

Girls 14-15 Division

At Wine Valley Golf Course

Cagtherina Li, Kent 75-70-145

Amy Hasenoehrl, Lewiston 72-76-148

Bree Wanderscheid, Goldendale 73-76-149

Marianne Li, Bellevue 76-78-154

Olivia Benzin, Tacoma 78-78-156

Alivia Brown, Gig Harbor 76-81-157

Sierra Bezdicek, Colbert 76-84-160

Sierra Kersten, Spoknae 80-80-160

Lauryn Keating, Elma 80-81-161

Kendall Gray, Federal Way 77-84-161

Kaceelyn Pouttu, Kellogg, Idaho 83-82-165

Jennifer Paul, Bellingham 86-81-167

Celia Beyke, Federal Way 85-83-168

Lindsey Gullikson, Tacoma 76-93-169

Jessica Huntsman, Walla Walla 80-89-169

Ravae Canas, Kent 87-82-169

Girls 12-13 Division

At Veterans Memorial Golf Course

Sarah Lawrence, Duvall 81-78-159

Ashley Fitzgibbons, Sammamish 81-78-159

Sarah Rhee, Seattle 78-83-161

Emily Baumgart, Walla Walla 81-83-164

Tessa George, Fircrest 83-83-166

Maddie Nelson, Sammamish 85-82-167

Rachel Fujitani, Seattle 84-83-167

Domminque Knapp, Lakewood 85-85-170

Girls 8-11 Division

At Vetrans Memorial Golf Course

9 Holes

Abigail Euyang, Seattle 41-40-81

Gabrielle Ferreria, University Place 48-44-92

Kendee Peters, Olympia 46-47-93

Brittany Kwon, Silverdale 46-48-94

Molly O-Brien, Federal Way 51-46-97

MaKenzie Milton, Seattle 59-50-99

Alyssa Nguyen, Renton 50-49-99