Capital boys finish 2nd in 3A golf behind low-scoring Roosevelt

In either of the past two seasons, this would have been a slam-dunk Class 3A boys state team championship for the Capital High School Cougars.

They did their job Wednesday at The Creek at Qualchan Golf Course in Spokane, placing three golfers in the top 31, led by Eric Hagen’s fifth-place showing at 1-over-par 145.

It’s just that Roosevelt High School had one of those once-in-a-generation weeks to blitz the field and win with 136 1/2 points.

Four Roughriders finished in the top 11 for the Metro League champions.

“If you take the 76 1/2 points we had today, we win (usually),” Capital coach Steven Hamilton said. “What Roosevelt did was pretty unreal.”

Hagen, the transfer from Aberdeen High School who is headed to the University of Denver, birdied the first two holes in the final round. But that was about it en route to a closing even-par 72.

Junior Gabe Barnes shot a final-round 76, and tied for eighth at 149. Sophomore Travis Bossio (80) tied for 31st at 160.

The runner-up finish was Capital’s best since winning the 3A title over Jackson back in 1999.

“Overall, second is quite good,” Hamilton said.

In 4A boys action at Meadow Springs Country Club in Richland, Olympia junior Riley Killip tied the Bellarmine Prep duo of R.J. Manke and Joe Highsmith for the best score of the final round — 1-under 71.

Manke and Highsmith lost in a four-man playoff (1-over 145) for the 4A title to Richland’s Carl Underwood, while Killip — the record-setting 4A Narrows tournament champion — finished in solo eighth place at 4-over 148.

Killip hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation Wednesday.

“He struck the ball better today,” Olympia coach Skip Fabritius said. “The way the course was set up, you have to be in the right position (to score).”

Killip had a wild back nine in the final round.

He hit a gap wedge close at the 11th hole for a tap-in birdie, but then bogeyed the next two holes.

At No. 14, he hit another short wedge approach close, and rolled in the 6-foot putt down the hill for birdie.

On the next hole, it was another downhill birdie putt he drained, this time from 10 feet.

And at the 16th hole, he curled in a final birdie from 42 feet. He had six one-putts on the back nine.

“My tournament went pretty well,” Killip said. “I had very high expectations going into it. After the 77 (Tuesday), coming back with such a good round, I am pretty excited.”

This story was originally published May 25, 2016 at 9:23 PM with the headline "Capital boys finish 2nd in 3A golf behind low-scoring Roosevelt."