Centralia College's Thomas wins NWAC Championship
May 22—The Centralia College women's golf team traveled east for the NWAC Golf Championships on Sunday and Monday, and freshman Jayda Thomas finished first after a sudden-death playoff.
Thomas shot a 162 (18-over par) across the two day tournament at the Apple Tree Resort Golf Course in Yakima, overcoming strong winds and early miscues on Day 2 to finish tied for first with Olympic's Nyah Dayton.
Both Thomas and Dayton three-putted the playoff hole, but Thomas was able to reach the green in just two shots, and that was the difference.
As a team, Centralia finished third behind North Idaho, which also won the men's tournament, and Bellevue. Olympic and Skagit Valley finished fourth and fifth.
Rieley Iverson finished 16th by shooting a 185, and W.F. West graduate Kendall Rasmussen tied for 18th by shooting a 190.
Thomas, Iverson, and Rasmussen were Centralia's three best scorers, so their scores were combined for the team score of 537, which was six behind Bellevue and 36 behind North Idaho.
Also shooting for the Centralia College women's team were Hauge Taytum (29th, 225), Ajae Belliston (30th, 226), and Adna graduate Natalie Humphrey (31st, 228).
Iverson is the only sophomore of the group, and coach David Klovdahl said that she "will be missed dearly" next season.
"She has been awesome to coach," Klovdahl said. "We are blessed to have some great young ladies who will only get better for next year. Along with that, we have a couple of new recruits that will be coming next year to bolster the group coming back."
Among other local alumni, Cole Wasson finished 15th on the men's side with a 153, and Brent Wasson placed 22nd with a 157.
