Leete claims another district title | Girls golf

For the second consecutive spring, Oak Harbor High School's Joanna Leete easily won the individual title at the 3A District 1 Girls Golf Tournament.

For the second consecutive spring, Oak Harbor High School’s Joanna Leete easily won the individual title at the 3A District 1 Girls Golf Tournament.

This year she led the field by 12 strokes at the Snohomish Golf Course Tuesday and Wednesday, May 20 and 21, to earn her fourth straight state berth.

Teammate Bree Roderos also qualified for state, placing fourth at district.

The first day of the district tournament determined the team champion, and Oak Harbor slipped to fifth out of 11 teams.

Ferndale of the Northwest Conference took the team title with 469 strokes. The Wildcats shot 542, finishing behind three Wesco schools it defeated last week while winning the conference meet.

Leete fired a 76 in the first round for a seven-stroke lead over Shorecrest’s Audrey Penner, then posted a 75 Wednesday to finish with a 151. Penner shot 80 on day two to place second at 163.

Roderos carded rounds of 89 and 87 to finish one stroke out of third at 176.

Oak Harbor nearly sent three golfers to state, but Resego Mooki lost in a three-way playoff for the 16th and final berth.

On the playoff hole, Mooki’s “putt rolled all away around the lip of the cup,” coach Andy Wesley said. “It was heartbreaking.”

Mooki shot a pair of 99s for a 198 and will be an alternate to the state tournament.

Marisa Sligh also made the first-day cut and finished 27th with a 208 (108, 100).

Hailey Beecher (114) and Tarra Baird (124) did not make the cut after the first round.

In addition to winning the past two district tournaments, Leete placed eighth as a freshman and third as a sophomore, qualifying for state each year.

Leete, who did not play in the state tournament as a freshman because of a personal commitment, was 23rd at state as a sophomore and ninth last year.

Roderos placed 52nd in state in 2013.

State is Wednesday and Thursday, May 28 and 29, at the Lewis River Golf Course in Woodland.