Mountaineer girls win final match before districts

The Rainier High School girls and boys golf teams played their final matches of the regular season at Tahoma Valley Golf Course on Thursday, May 1.

The Mountaineer girls finished first against Winlock and Mary M. Knight. They were the only team to post a complete score. Lily Peralta led all golfers with a score of 42. Olivia Cotham-Mills finished fourth. Shyann Weschler and Marianna Gonzales tied for fifth and contributed to the team score.

The Rainier boys lost a close one to Adna by a final score of 170 to 175. Trevin Salme of Adna finished first overall with a score of 38. Rainier’s Thomas Sprouffske and Josh Peralta tied for second with a 39. Riley Griffith of Napavine finished with a 42. Brodey Luurs of Adna finished with a 43.

Riley Lynch and senior Moroni Jackson also contributed to Rainier’s team score.
The home match served as a send-off for two Rainier seniors. Family and friends gathered around the first hole before tee-off to take pictures and honor Moroni Jackson and Tyler Kempinski.

Jackson, the boys’ team captain, admitted that he isn’t the most talkative on the team, but said he’s tried to set a good example for younger players in the program, now in its second year.

“People see how we run it and stuff and they can use that as the next example and take it over,” Kempinski added.

This is Kempinski’s first season with the Mountaineers. Because he used to golf, Kempinski said he thought he’d come join the school team this year, even though he didn’t know anyone.

“Luckily I did, because now I’m friends with all of them, so that had a good outcome,” Kempinski said.

“These guys are like family,” Jackson said. “We’ve held a pretty valuable bond over the season.”

Jackson said he will serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) after high school, but plans to continue playing golf if he has the opportunity to.

Kempinski wants to keep playing with friends while he attends college.
The district tournament was scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, and Thursday, May 8, at Mint Valley Golf Course in Longview. Results were unavailable before press time.

The WIAA state tournaments for 1B, 2B boys and 1B, 2B girls will be held Tuesday, May 20, and Wednesday, May 21, at MeadowWood Golf Course in Liberty Lake.