Golf

Maybe it was fate that allowed senior Maya Hatton to arrange a date with State with her Taft High mates in the District 2 girls golf championships.

Logan Merry will be taking some shiny new hardware with him in remembrance of his time as Taft High’s leading player when he transfers from the school this summer.

The Taft High boys golf team, led by duplicate 83s from leading players Logan Merry and Bonny Patel, virtually clinched a spot in next week’s State championships under brilliant skies before the home crowd Monday at Salishan Spa & Golf Resort.

After nearly two decades of teaching girls golf, no one knows better than Taft High coach Heather Hatton how fickle the sport can be.

A longtime coach and two leading players will bid farewell to their respective golf programs as District participants Tuesday when the Taft High boys and girls conclude play in competition to determine the field for the State championships.

Naomi Rini, Maya Hatton and Gabe Arce-Torres signed letters of intent Wednesday in the Taft High 7-12 Commons to compete in college athletics.

At stake beginning at 10 a.m. Monday and Tuesday at Salishan Spa & Golf Resort will be a berth in the State finals, May 14-15 at Banks.

The Taft High boys golf team used a team-leading 87 from junior Logan Merry on Monday in preparations this weekend for next week’s Class 3A Special District 2 Championships in Gleneden Beach.

Players from five schools got a taste Wednesday of what play in the OSAA Class 4A/3A/2A/1A State Girls Golf Championships will look like next month during an 18-hole preview match at Quail Valley Golf Course in Banks.

Arce-Torres, who turns 18 Saturday, will join senior golfer Maya Hatton and senior soccer player Naomi Rini at 11:45 a.m. in signing letters to attend colleges on athletic scholarships.