SPOKANE — Snohomish junior Ethan Casto entered the 4A State Tournament at the Creek at Qualchan hoping to make the cut.
He ended up a stroke away from a state championship.
Showcasing his skills off the tee, with his irons and on the greens during the two-day tournament, Casto finished the tournament tied with Issaquah’s Zack Overstreet and Skyline’s Chris Mogg at 139 to force a three-man playoff.
Overstreet won the title on the third playoff hole, making par while Casto bogeyed.
Casto had a chance to lock up the title on the second playoff hole, but Overstreet sank a seven-foot putt to stay alive.
Casto, Overstreet and Mogg all birdied the first playoff hole, and Mogg was eliminated after making double bogey on the second, which Casto described as a hard par-3.
Casto and Overstreet each hit the middle of the green with his tee shot, and Casto two-putted in for par. Overstreet took a 50-foot putt to within seven feet, and had to make the shorty or Casto would have been the state champion.
Overstreet answered the bell, and the two players went to a third playoff hole.
“I wouldn’t say I was deflated, but it just kind of made me a little bit more tired going into the next hole,” Casto said.
Casto said a poor wedge shot on the par-4 third playoff hole contributed to his bogey, but was still able to find a silver lining in the defeat.
“It’s probably the best I’ve played in a tournament so far,” he said. “I’m excited, but still kind of upset that I lost. We were looking to win this year, but next year it’ll be even more important to us to win.”
Snohomish finished fifth in the team standings, and junior Luke Kuna tied for 25th with a two-day total of 147 (74-73).
Other local finishers included Jackson’s Arnold Ha (147) and Monroe’s Owen Fenner (156).
Final round
Creek at Qualchan G.C., Spokane
Par 72
State champion
Zack Overstreet, Issaquah, 70-69-139 (won on third playoff hole)
Local golfers
Ethan Casto, Snohomish, 70-69-139; Arnold Ha, Jackson, 74-73-147; Luke Kuna, Snohomish, 74-73-147; Owen Fenner, Monroe, 74-82-156
Team scores
Bellarmine Prep 93.5, Issaquah 92.5, Olympia 87, Skyline 78.5, Snohomish 59, Kentwood 54.5, Eisenhower 29, Tahoma 28, Stadium 14.
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