Incline golf team, coach reflect on this week's state title runs

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — Earning a team state championship plaque in any sport is quite an accomplishment for the school and the students — a no-brainer statement, indeed.

But do people ever pay attention to the size of it?

Joe Humasti does.

“The trophy is the same size every year, no matter what — that's never going to change,” said Humasti, coach of the Incline girls golf team, while staring Wednesday at the 1- by 2-foot wooden and silver trophy. “But what's different is how it's done, and to be a part of what these girls did this year, I can honestly say it's one of the top highlights of my career.”

“These girls” are the 2009 Highlanders golf team, who secured the school's fourth team state title this decade by winning the two-day tournament at Genoa Lakes Golf Course, a dominant win topped only by senior Katelyn Wright's blistering 36-hole display en route to winning her fourth straight individual state title — only the second Nevada high schooler ever to accomplish the feat.

A tremendous accomplishment

“It sunk in pretty much right away,” said Wright, who finished the tourney at 2-under, after golfing an even-par 70 on Monday and a 2-under 70 on Tuesday. “Some of the coaches came up to me afterward and were crying. I really didn't feel like crying — I mean, I'm gonna miss it — but I'm ready to move on. Still, it was kind of sad, to know it's all over.”

Not long after the tourney ended, friends and family were calling and texting her Tuesday night with congratulations, she said.

At school the next day, the student body made sure the girls were properly recognized.

“It was cool — there must have been an announcement or something — people were walking down the halls and congratulating us,” Wright said. “Golf isn't like football or basketball or volleyball — it doesn't have a following, so to speak, so to be acknowledged, it's pretty cool. Everybody's been happy for the whole team.”

The stats from the state tourney speak for themselves — Wright beat out second place golfer Sarah Thomas (Henderson International) by a 26 strokes, and the team topped Wells by a whopping 108 strokes.

However, the most impressive thing to come out of this week and the season wasn't the unprecedented numbers — for example, neither the team nor Wright lost this season in six regular season meets and this week's championship round — rather, it was the way it was done

“Katelyn is a great golfer, but she's also a great person. She plays with honesty and integrity and tradition,” He said. “That's what she represents out on the golf course, and that's what she was able to do with her teammates, her friends who she was able to convince to come out and play golf with her, so she could be a part of a team title.

“You don't find that in the great athletes, playing well, but with tradition and honesty. That's the one thing I'll always remember about this team.”

A team effort

Teamwise, the Highlanders finished second last year, something that motivated seniors Gwen Paul and Michaela Tonking this year. Paul also earned an individual medal by finishing fourth overall at this week's tournament.

“It's like all the work finally paid off,” Paul said. “Last year, it seemed like it was all the same, like I couldn't get better — I finally got it this year.”

Tonking — who finished 18th overall — gave a lot of credit to her coach, a statement that drew applause from her teammates.

“He's always been behind us, all year, and we succeeded I think because of him,” Tonking said. “We'd do something wrong, and he'd yell at us for it, but he'd also joke around too. It was fun to be at practice and to be around him.”

Sophomore Grace Dolan, a budding golf star, finished seventh overall at the tournament, just missing an individual medal.

“This is a really great team, and I'm really happy to be a part of this, to play with all these seniors,” Dolan said.

Freshman Kassidy Garland (24th overall) and junior Natasha Cooper (33rd overall) — while their scores did not count in the 4-member team score — both said they were excited to be a part of the team.

And to be golfing with a four-time state champion.

“It's on honor to be on the team — we won state. That's a big deal,” Cooper said. “It feels good to be involved with something like this.

“Plus, golfing with Katie — she's like, famous — it's kind of cool.”

Wright, as humble as ever, blushed and shrugged off Cooper's kind words.

“No I'm not,” said Wright, and a few questions she later, she confidently explained that the team title was the more important of the two honors awarded Tuesday.

“It feels good because it's not just about one person this year — the whole team brought it in,” she said.

Team scores

1. Incline, 381-397—778

2. Battle Mountain, 463-423—886

3. Wells, 466-444—910

4. North Tahoe, 488-431—919

5. White Pine, 517-469—986

6. Pershing County, 563-514—1077

7. West Wendover, 573-506—1079

Henderson International, Inc. (87-81)

Mineral County, Inc. (129-115)

Individual scores

1. Katelyn Wright (Sr.), Incline, 72-70—142 (FOUR-TIME STATE CHAMPION)

2. Sarah Thomas (Fr.), Henderson International, 87-81—168

3. Haley Packard (Jr.), North Tahoe, 98-91—189

4. Gwen Paul (Sr.), Incline, 91-103—194

5. Shannon Walker (Jr.), Wells, 101-94—195

6. Stephanie Bulloc (Sr.), Battle Mountain, 104-97—201

7. Grace Dolan (So.), Incline, 106-101—207

8. Emily Laity (Sr.), White Pine, 105-105—210

9. Kaleen Sherman (So.), Pershing County, 105-109—214

10. Serenity Olsen (Sr.), Battle Mountain, 111-104—215

18. Michaela Tonking (Sr.), Incline, 112-124—236

24. Kassidy Garland (Fr.), Incline, 141-123—264

33. Natasha Cooper (Jr.), Incline, 149-175—324