Community roundup: Lakewood golfer headed back to Augusta
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Malia Schroeder is headed back to Augusta.
The 13-year-old from Arlington, a seventh-grader at Lakewood Middle School, is scheduled to compete in her second straight national Drive, Chip and Putt Championships on April 2 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, the weekend before The Masters.
Schroeder will compete in the girls 12-13 age bracket. She finished tied for fifth in the same bracket last year.
“I’m really happy for the opportunity to go back again,” Schroeder said. “Now that I’m at the top of my age bracket, I’m looking to improve this year.”
Schroeder had a more complicated path to nationals this time around. She barely squeezed through the local qualifier at Lake Padden Golf Course in Bellingham, finishing third to claim the last qualifying spot to sub-regionals. She then placed first at sub-regionals at The Home Course in Dupont.
Heading to regionals required more travel this time, as the regionals took place at The Olympic Club in San Francisco — the previous year’s regionals were held at Chambers Bay in Tacoma. Then, Schroeder put her first shot at regionals, a drive, out of bounds to seemingly end her chances. However, she rallied by finishing first in chipping and tied for first in putting to win the competition.
Schroeder is one of 10 qualifiers for the national competition, and she hopes her experience will help her chances.
“Now I know a little more what the competition is like,” Schroeder said. “It’s definitely a lot harder than the local qualifying, the sub-regional and regionals. I’ll know how some of the chips play, as well as the putts and drives. I’ll be better prepared for all the cameras, too.”
Schroeder will be accompanied by her parents, sister, two grandmothers, two aunts and four uncles.
AMHS fifth-grade hoopsters win state
The Archbishop Murphy High School basketball feeder program won its first state championship when its fifth-grade boys team claimed the Fifth Grade School Silver Division title in Spokane the weekend of March 17-19. The Wildcats defeated Cedarcrest Select 27-24 in the championship game.
The team members included Ryan McFerran, Stephen Post, Colby Cooke, Austin Sloan, Caleb Hambly, Tanner Johnson, Dawson Schnarre, Jonah Clymer, Max Mekanik and Jack Taylor. They were coached by Arrae Walton.
WSU’s Hawkinson honored
Shorewood High School graduate Josh Hawkinson was honored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches as the Washington State University senior forward was named to the Division I All-District 20 second team.
Hawkinson led the Cougars in both scoring (15.5) and rebounding (10.2) this season. He previously was named to the All-Pac-12 second team. Hawkinson concluded his Washington State career as the career record holder for rebounds (1,015) and double-doubles (56).
If you have an idea for a community sports story, e-mail Nick Patterson at npatterson@heraldnet.com.
