By TIM ADAMS
Sports editor
Defending state champion Kamiak won the 4A District 1 boys golf team title Tuesday by six strokes on the 18-hole, par-72 Gallery Golf Course.
Kamiak, from the WesCo South, had a team score of 397 strokes and Snohomish, from the WesCo North, checked in with a 403 to finish second.
Max McKinley of Shorewood shot 1-under-par 71 over 18 holes to lead the pack.
Heading into Thursday’s second round of the two-day tournament, 20 players were within 10 shots of the lead.
The top 24 players advanced to Thursday’s second round and after that, the field is cut to the top 15 who will advance to state tournament play.
“Right now, we have three players in the mix,” Oak Harbor coach John Matzen said before the start of the second round. “Brandon Kenworthy is out of the top 15 by a single stroke. A good round today might get him in.”
Kenworthy was in the running for a state berth after an opening round of 82, but failed to make the 15-player cut.
Oak Harbor’s Phil Reedy was in third place after an opening round of 2-over-par 74, and will be making his fourth trip to the state Class 4A tournament after firing a 78 on Thursday. He finished in fifth-place with a 36-hole total of 152 strokes.
Reedy said he was ready to go before the start of the second round, trailing by three strokes.
“I’m in good position. Three strokes is nothing out here,” he said.
Teammate Judd Ford will also be making a return trip to the state tournament. The sophomore shot 78 in the opening round and came back with another 78 Thursday to finish in 10th place with a score of 156 strokes.
“I think I could have had a couple less strokes on Tuesday, but it just didn’t add up that way,” he said. “I’m in good shape, though.”
Edmonds-Woodway’s Ricky McDonald, Reid Martin from Kamiak, McKinley and Stanwood’s Michael Yeager tied for medalist honors.
All four golfers finished with a 36-hole scorecard of 149 strokes.
The first round of the 36-hole state tournament will be played Wednesday, May 27, at the Canyon Lakes Golf Course in Kennewick.
