Friday, March 22, 2019
PORTLAND, Ore. - All six GNAC men's golf teams were in action over the past two weeks, taking to California and Nevada for the NDNU Argonaut Invitational, Winona State Vegas Invite and Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout.
Western Washington highlighted the group, taking the title over a stacked field at Poppy Ridge Golf Course in dominant fashion. Pulling away early with prime performances in the tournament's opening two rounds, the Vikings totaled a three-round score of 885 and finished 14 strokes clear of second-place Cal State East Bay.
The win was nothing new for the team, which now has five victories in seven tournaments during the 2018-19 campaign.
Senior Nick Sparling led the way for WWU, finishing in a tie for second place individually with a 3-over-par finish across two days of play in Livermore, Calif. Sparling has shined all year long and now has two top-five finishes under his belt.
Concordia also impressed at the NDNU Argonaut Invitational, placing fifth with a score that was just two shots behind third-place. Division I transfer Spencer Rhodes led his team at Poppy Ridge, tying for fifth with a score of 6-over-par.
LAST WEEK'S TOURNAMENTS
NDNU Argonaut Invitational (Mar. 11-12 at Poppy Ridge Golf Course, Livermore, Calif.): Team - 1, Western Washington, 885 (295-288-302). 5, Concordia, 908 (307-301-300). 8, Saint Martin's, 919 (303-304-312). 11, Simon Fraser, 931 (305-309-317). 14, Northwest Nazarene, 968 (321-317-330). Individuals - 1, Tyler Fitchett, Saint Martin's, 218 (70-72-76). T2, Nick Sparling, Western Washington, 219 (72-70-77). 4, Michael Butler, Western Washington, 221 (74-72-75). T5, Spencer Rhodes, Concordia, 222 (75-73-74). 9, Cody Roth, Western Washington, 224 (76-74-74). T10, Jordan Lee, Western Washington, 225 (74-72-79). T10, Jake Wiley, Concordia, 225 (82-70-73).
Winona State Vegas Invite (Mar. 12-13 at Stallion Mountain, Las Vegas, Nev.): Team - 1, Indianapolis, 609 (284-325). 8, Montana State Billings, 659 (306-353). Individuals - 1, Ian Carroll, Indianapolis, 149 (68-81). T20, Caleb Trost, Montana State Billings, 161 (76-85), T20, Garrett Woodin, Montana State Billings, 161 (72-89).
Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout (Mar. 18-19 at South Course - Chuck Corica Golf Complex, Alameda, Calif.): Team - 1, Sonoma State, 858 (285-288-285). 12, Simon Fraser, 906 (294-311-301). Individuals - 1, Will Barnett, Cal State East Bay, 206 (65-68-73). T29, Aidan Goodfellow, Simon Fraser, 224 (73-77-74). T29, Sy Lovan, Simon Fraser, 224 (75-75-74).
AROUND THE GNAC
CONCORDIA
• Playing in their fourth tournament of the spring season, the Cavaliers finished in fifth place at the NDNU Argonaut Invitational.
• Alcorn State transfer Spencer Rhodes was the team's top placer, posting a pair of low numbers in his final two rounds to pave the way to a top-five finish individually. The junior ended the week in fourth place among competing individuals from the GNAC.
• Portland product Jake Wiley finished inside the top-10 at Poppy Ridge with a score of 9-over-par 225. No one in the field carded a lower second round score than the team's No. 5 player for the week on Monday afternoon.
• Junior Jaxson Daskalos is the team leader in scoring average with a total of 73.2 over the course of 23 rounds. Sophomore Adam Quandt is following closely behind with a 73.4 clip.
• Concordia will be back on the course for its final regular-season event at the Hanny Stanislaus Invitational, running April 1-2 at Turlock Golf & Country Club in Turlock, Calif.
MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• The Yellowjackets recorded a two-day total of 659 to finish in eighth place at the Winona State Vegas Invite. Still warming up after a long winter, the event marked just the team's second tournament of the spring season.
• Billings natives Caleb Trost and Garrett Woodin led the way for Montana State Billings, finishing tied for 20th individually with total scores of 161. The duo got off to a hot start in the desert, with Trost carding a 72 and Woodin scoring 76 in the opening round.
• Sophomore Riley Kaercher was just three strokes behind his top-two teammates. Kaercher finished in a tie for 31st with a total of 164.
• Woodin leads MSUB with a 75.7 average through seven tournaments this season.
• Up next for the Yellowjackets is a trip south to Lakewood, Colo., where it will represent the GNAC at the Colorado Mines Bob Writz Invitational on March 23-24.
NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Playing in their first tournament of the spring season, the Nighthawks finished in 14th place at the NDNU Argonaut Invitational.
• Senior Justin Higgins was the team's top placer, using a second-round 76 to pave the way to a top-40 finish individually. No Nighthawk has played more rounds than Higgins (17) has this season.
• Boise product Henry Bernard finished 55th at Poppy Ridge with a total tally of 240. The junior led all of his teammates after a first-round score of 76.
• Bernard is the team leader in scoring average with a total of 75.4 over 17 rounds. Andrew Cortez is following closely behind at the end of March with a 76.9 clip.
• Northwest Nazarene will return to the links in two weeks, playing a dual match against College of Idaho on April 1 at Timberstone Golf Course in Caldwell, Idaho.
SAINT MARTIN'S
• Playing in their seventh tournament of the 2018-19 campaign, the Saints finished in eighth place at the NDNU Argonaut Invitational.
• Sophomore Tyler Fitchett took home the individual title, using impressive rounds of 70 and 72 to pave the way to a 2-over-par 218. The performance earned Fitchett his first career medalist honors.
• Freshman Jordan Terada and senior Trevor Frisby both finished inside the top-35 at Poppy Ridge with matching total scores of 232. Terada carded 12 birdies over the two days.
• Frisby is the team leader in scoring average with a total of 74.7 over 20 rounds. Fitchett is following closely behind with a 74.8 socring average.
• Saint Martin's will return to action in three weeks at the Mustang Intercollegiate, held April 8-9 in Silver City, New Mexico.
SIMON FRASER
• Playing in their first tournament of the spring season, the Clan's recent play was highlighted by an 11th place finish at the NDNU Argonaut Invitational.
• No. 3 player Scott Kerr was the team's top placer, using an opening-round 72 to pave the way to a tie for 17th individually. That 72 had Kerr tied for third after the first round.
• Junior Sy Lovan finished inside the top-40 at Poppy Ridge with a three-round total of 234. Lovan currently ranks ninth in the GNAC in scoring average at 74.2.
• Freshman Isaac Lee is the team leader in scoring average with a total of 73.5 over the course of 20 rounds. Lee enters the final month of the regular season slotted at sixth in the conference.
• In the latest edition of the Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll, the Clan come in ranked at No. 15 nationally. In the Golfstat Division II Team Rankings, they are currently ranked 22nd.
• Simon Fraser will be back on the course for its first April event in two weeks at the Hanny Stanislaus Invitational, running April 1-2 at Turlock Golf and Country Club in Turlock, Calif.
WESTERN WASHINGTON
• The Vikings recorded a three-day total of 885 to top a loaded field at the NDNU Argonaut Invitational. The team now has five titles in seven events on the 2018-19 season.
• Senior Nick Sparling led the way for Western Washington, finishing in a tie for second place individually with a total score of 219. Sparling used a fantastic opening day to bolster his score, firing a 72 to start the tournament before carding a 70 to cap his day.
• Senior Michael Butler was the other Viking to place inside the top-five. Butler finished fourth with a 5-over-par 221.
• Sparling leads WWU with a 72.4 scoring average. The conference's top four scorers all hail from Western Washington as freshman Jordan Lee (72.5), Butler (72.7) and Bellingham product Cody Roth (72.9) follow close behind.
• In the latest edition of the Golfstat Division II Team Rankings, the Vikings come in ranked at No. 4 nationally. In the Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll, they are currently ranked sixth.
• Up next for Western Washington is a trip south to Turlock, Calif., where it will join Concordia and Simon Fraser at the Hanny Stanislaus Invitational on April 1-2.
GNAC Men’s Golfer of the Week (Mar. 18, 2019)
Tyler Fitchett (Saint Martin’s, So., Yakima, Wash. – Eisenhower): Fitchett earned medalist honors at the Notre Dame de Namur Invitational, carding a three-round score of 2-over-par 218. He carded a low round of 2-under-par 70 in the first round as he led the Saints to an eighth-place team finish.