A pair of Vernon high school golf teams have qualified for provincial tournaments.
The Seaton Sonics finished second in the North Zone playoffs last week in Salmon Arm to advance to the B.C. championships, May 29-31, in Radium.
The Sonics, coached by Ralph Stevens, placed third at the Valley playoffs Tuesday at Talking Rock Golf Resort near Chase. The first-place Summerland Rockets and runner-up Oliver Hornets also gained provincial berths.
Under cool and damp conditions, the Sonics played steady, consistent golf scoring a team total of 340. The top four scores of the five-member team counted for the team total.
Seaton consisted of Conner Kozak, who shot an 81, Matt McEachran-Law at 84, Brad Phillips at 86, Christian Lacasse 89 and Anthony Peterson 90.The team of Phillips, McEachran-Law, Petersen, Austin McBeth and Lacasse finished second behind the Kalamalka Lakers in the North Zone playoffs the week before in Salmon Arm.
The VSS Panthers qualified for the AAA provincials, May 31-June 1 at the Dunes in Kamloops, hosted by the South Kam Titans.
Rick Spiller’s crew was second at the Valley playoffs at Talking Rock and won the North Zones in Salmon Arm.
“This is the first time VSS has managed to get past the very large high schools in Kelowna and Kamloops in 12 years, since the Chris Baryla-Myles Johnson years,” said Spiller.
“The Panthers – in their pink golf shirts – were a standout and the boys played well on a tough course which saw numerous students post high scores. A bear even stopped play for awhile.”
Brady Stead shot 74 at the Valleys, while Randy Todosychuk carded a 77, Brett Reeves 82, Jacob Dolinar 87 and Danny Todosychuk 88 for a team total (best four) of 320.
The Mt. Boucherie Bears of West Kelowna claimed the Valley crown at 316. South Kam was third at 323.
