Enjoying the journey
Caiden Gubler, a senior at Moses Lake High School leads the Chiefs golf team with a season low score of 81.
COURTESY PHOTO/KEVIN WHITTALL
Moses Lake High School freshman Quinten Whittall holds the No. 2 spot on the Chiefs golf team. He scored a low of 84 this season.
This is senior Merritt Meacham’s first year playing golf with the Chiefs and HE said he is enjoying the challenge of learning a new sport and the bond the team has.
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake High School golf teams are nearing the end of their regular season but are enjoying the journey.
The girls are a small group with a variety of experience levels. There are six total girls on the team, four of them competing. Of the four competing, two are freshmen and two are sophomores.
Girls head coach Lonny Brown said a nice thing about all four of the girls who play at competition is that they play other sports throughout the year. That athleticism helps, Brown said.
When asked what he thought the team’s biggest strength this season was, Brown said:
“I would say just the youthfulness and the eagerness to learn and to get better. They work at it. When we're out here practicing, they take it seriously. Very coachable. So, yeah, they just want to keep getting better.”
Brown said the team sits in fourth place out of seven in the league.
Sophomore Addi Nighswonger said her favorite part about golf is the people she plays with. “Most of them bring a good attitude,” Nighswonger said.
For the boys, the top four players are Caiden Gubler, Quinten Whittall, Merritt Meacham and Isaiah Patino.
“They are a focused group of golfers on the course,” said assistant boys coach Kevin Whittall.
Gubler is a senior and this is his second year on the team. He is playing in the No. 1 spot for the Chiefs with a low score of 81 at Apple Tree Golf Course.
Whittall is a freshman playing in the No. 2 spot. His lowest score was 84 at the Yakima Elks Golf & Country Club.
Meacham, a senior, plays No. 3. This is his first year on the golf team and he shot an 85 at Black Rock Golf Course.
Patino plays spot No. 4 and is a sophomore. This is his second year on the team and he shot an 82 at Sun Willow Golf Course on March 10.
Each of the three boys’ golf competitors had different things they enjoy about the game.
Meacham said he has enjoyed the team bond and learning a new sport.
Gubler said people would be surprised to find out just how much fun the team has playing golf.
“Getting to play different courses that I’ve never played,” Patino said.
Rebecca Pettingill may be reached at rpettingill@columbiabasinherald.com.
