The Mount Si golf program could have as many as four competitors at state this week, thanks to strong play by the girls at last week’s SeaKing district tournament.

Junior Maggie Robinson fired a round of 93 and finished tied for 18th, earning her a spot in the state event, being held this week at Horn Rapids Golf Course in Richland. Fellow junior teammate Julia Dorn took the first alternate position with a round of 95, good for 20th position. The top 19 places earned spots to state from the SeaKing event.

For Robinson, this is a big accomplishment.

“I’m really excited,” she said. “I feel like I accomplished my goal.”

“I’m just really excited to go down there and get the experience,” a pleased Dorn said.

According to coach Mike Johnston, alternates end up competing about 40 percent of the time at state, so it appears there will be a good chance of her competing. An alternate will compete if a player scheduled to participate is unable to be there due to injury, illness or other circumstances which prevent that player from competing in the event.

Johnston is thrilled Robinson made it.

“It’s not unexpected,” the coach said. “She’s been working at it for a couple of years. It was a culmination of the hard work she’s put in on her game.”

With the Mount Si girls team winning a single match all spring, the easy assumption is that a state trip for these two players is a big surprise. Not so to the girls themselves.

“Honestly, I’m not extremely shocked,” Robinson said. “We’ve grown a lot. We’ve both been getting a lot better.”

Boys preview

Robinson and possibly Dorn will join boys Bradley Harrelson and Jack Kelly at state this week in the Tri-Cities; the two boys will be seeking to defend Mount Si’s boys’ golf state team title won last spring.

Harrelson and Kelly made state after finishing in the top 22 at last fall’s SeaKing boys’ tournament. Kelly took fifth and Harrelson finished 19th. With the experience from last season combined with all their summer and winter tour play, Johnston expects a lot from his two veterans.

“They have a good shot at finishing in the top 10,” the coach said.

There will be a lot of tough competition for the boys, who will be at Meadow Springs Golf Course in Kennewick. Just from the SeaKing alone are Carl Jonson from Bainbridge, Blake Snyder from Seattle Prep and Charlie Kern from Mercer Island, all of whom have lots of tournament experience as well. Both Wildcat golfers will need to play their best golf both days in order for them to defend the team title.