Stiemert, Hammericksen claim district golf titles

May 12—St. Mary's golf standouts Bryce Stiemert and Baylee Hammericksen took different paths to their scores — both shot 69 — but the outcomes were similar: runaway individual victories in the district championships Tuesday at Rogue Valley Country Club.

Stiemert, a senior who is headed to Southwestern University outside of Austin, Texas, captured the two-day 3A/2A/1A District 4 boys crown, following up an opening-day 1-under 71 at Centennial Golf Club on Monday with his 3-under round at RVCC.

Stiemert's 140 total was well in front of runner-up and teammate Brock Drury, whose 77 Tuesday put him at 152. Sutherlin's Kahner Hardin was third at 157.

Hammericksen, a senior who will compete at the University of Oregon next year, actually did Stiemert one better, as her 69 was 4 under on the RVCC course. Coupled with a 69 Monday, she was 7 under for the two days with a 138, securing the 4A/3A/2A/1A District 3 crown.

Hammericksen's sister, Riley, shot a second straight 73 to place second with a 146 total, and Bandon's Cassie Kinnon was third with a 163.

St. Mary's and Coquille were the only schools to field complete girls teams.

St. Mary's handily claimed the boys and girls team titles, with scores of 619 and 667, respectively.

Both finish the season next week at the Southern Oregon Championships.

The boys play Monday at Running Y Ranch Resort in Klamath Falls. That field will include the runner-up Bandon boys team and the next five boy placers not on the top two teams.

The girls will play their championships next Wednesday at Eagle Point Golf Club. No other girls team will advance, but 10 individuals apart from the Crusader girls qualified.

Stiemert got off to an uncommonly fine start, moving to 3 under through the first five holes and needing all of five putts over that stretch. Then he leveled off.

Hammericksen, meanwhile, had a relatively blase front side before kicking it into gear with a passel of birdies on the inward nine.

Regardless of the routes they took, each earned their place at the top.

Stiemert chipped close on the par-5 first hole and made a 6-foot birdie putt. He followed with about 12-footers on Nos. 3 and 5 for his other birdies.

"It was a hot start, yes," he nodded of the birdies and a paucity of putts. "It just felt really good. It was a great way to start, then I kind of cooled down."

With the fast beginning to the round came competing thoughts.

"I'm thinking, you always want to take it one shot at a time," said Stiemert, "but you've always got the course record in the back of your head. I knew that if I just kept playing well and took it one shot at a time, I had a good shot at winning."

Stiemert made the turn in 34 after a bogey on the par-3 ninth. He birdied 14 to get back to 3 under.

While his wedge play was sharper early in the round — a perfect complement to his booming drives — it tailed off ever so slightly.

Over the final three holes, the par-5 16th and two par 4s to finish, he had, respectively, 110, 80 and 90 yards to the pin after splitting the fairways with his tee shots.

"My wedges kind of went downhill after about the middle of the round," said Stiemert. "I hit a couple of good ones, but they weren't at just the point where I wanted them to be. Just a little sloppy, but solid shots. They were all on the greens, and I gave myself birdie looks."

He parred the final three holes, lipping out his birdie attempt on No. 17.

"I played boring golf," said Stiemert, "and boring golf is good, so I was really happy with how it went."

Unlike Stiemert, Hammericksen had a nondescript start to her round. A 6-foot birdie at No. 2 was followed by a bogey at No. 3. Otherwise, it was a succession of pars while playing the front side even.

"The front nine was very, very stagnant," said Hammericksen. "Some birdie putts I thought should have gone in, and also some par putts probably shouldn't have gone in.

"On the back nine, I was kind of able to let myself make birdies and get going."

She had four birdies, including two-putt tap-ins on the par-5 10th and 16th holes. She followed 10 with an 8-foot birdie at 11 and a 4-foot birdie at 12.

Hammericksen calls RVCC home and usually plays from longer tees than are used in high school competition.

"It's a little shorter," she said, "but I love hitting wedges. They're my favorite clubs to hit, so when the high school season comes around, I'm like, 'Yes!' It's a good time for me."

Hammericksen won district and state titles as a freshman and sophomore before having her junior year canceled by the coronavirus. She was pleased with the district title even if the field wasn't as robust as in normal years.

"I treat all tournaments the same, so even if it's a real district or not a real district, I take it just as seriously," she said. "So the wins, or the losses for that matter, feel exactly the same."

BOYS

TEAM SCORES: St. Mary's 310-309—619 , Bandon 354-401—755, Coquille 373-421—794, Cascade Christian 413-418—831, Rogue River 397-478—875. Brookings, Sutherlin, Hosanna/Triad incomplete.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (Top 5): 1, Bryce Stiemert, SM, 71-69—140; 2, Brock Drury, SM, 75-77—152; 3, Kahner Hardin, S, 75-82—157; 4, Tiger Kao, SM, 79-82—161; T5, Rylan Bruce, Br., 87-79—166; T5, Elliot Zimmer, SM, 85-81—166.

Local Team Scores

ST. MARY'S (619): Bryce Stiemert 71-60—140, Brock Drury 75-77—152, Tiger Kao 79-82—161, Elliott Zimmer 85-81—166.

CASCADE CHRISTIAN (831): Keller Kleker 98-104—202, Jacob Rheault 108-102—210, JT Knoblach-Scott 104-107—211, Gavin Ulrich 107-105—212.

ROGUE RIVER (875): Asher Brotherton 91-105—196, Gavin Snow 89-120—209, Jeffrey Simpson 97-113—210, Tony Isom-Johnny Artoff 120-140—260.

GIRLS

TEAM SCORES: St. Mary's 328-339—667, Coquille 514-567—1,081. Cascade Christian, Phoenix, Rogue River, Hosanna/Triad, Bandon incomplete.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (Top 5): 1, Baylee Hammericksen, SM, 69-69—138; 2, Riley Hammericksen, SM, 73-73—146; 3, Cassie Kinnon, B, 77-86—163; 4, Brigit Hovelman, SM, 90-96—186; 5, Ainsley Dunn, SM, 101-101—202.

Local Team Scores

ST. MARY'S (310): Baylee Hammericksen 69-69—138, Riley Hammericksen 73-73—146, Brigit Hovelman 90-96—186, Lucy Maxwell-Ainsley Dunn 96-101—197.

PHOENIX (Inc.): Kaia Eickenberry 103-119—222, Ruby Rector 127-116—243, Lily Bulux na-151—151.

CASCADE CHRISTIAN (Inc.): Brianna Poppa 128-135—263.

ROGUE RIVER (Inc): Isabell Yauch 152-154, Lily Schloegl 162-145—307.

Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 541-776-4479 or ttrower@rosebudmedia.com.