The stage was set at the beautiful China Creek course at the Golf Club at Newcastle. The skies were sunny, and hundreds of fans lined the fairways and greens in anticipation of a golf matchup to remember between two high school powerhouses, and that’s exactly what they got as Redmond snuck by Newport by one stroke, 214-215, on Thursday night, increasing the Mustangs’ winning streak to 73 league matches.

“It was a great match,” said Redmond head coach Jake Crowley. “It was a beautiful day, tons of parents and students out there. Newport really built it up and did a great job of hosting, it had a ‘tournament’ feel to it.”

Although Newport had four of the six low rounds of the day, the Mustangs got the performance of a lifetime from sophomore Keira O’Hearn. She fired a one-under-par 35, the first under-par round of the league season on Redmond’s squad, to bolster her team to victory.

“It really is an incredible score,” said Crowley on O’Hearn’s effort. “She’s only played the course twice in her life… but she stayed in the moment. She was fist-pumping, it was great to see her in control of her emotions.”

Understandably, with so much on the line, including a streak that dates back to May of 2003 when Woodinville handed the Mustangs their last loss in 4A Kingco golf matches, his young squad was feeling the heat.

“We’re almost all juniors and sophomores, so our kids were nervous and quiet,” recalled Crowley. “But we kept trying to say, ‘this is exciting, this is fun, this is why you participate in athletics.’ You want to play against people that are really passionate and competitive. We just tried to not talk about the streak as much, but embracing the moment and really enjoying it.”

For the Mustangs, Kelly Kennewick carded a 40, and Newport was led by Isabel Chien and Jamie Kirsila, who both shot rounds of 42.

With hundreds of strokes combined between eight players, the difference of a single stroke at the match’s end was an important learning lesson for the Mustangs.

“Everybody played really well and stepped up,” Crowley acknowledged. “And this match showed how important every single shot is. Everything counts.”

The Mustangs next play against Eastlake on Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 on the Wolves’ home course, Sahalee Country Club, the site of the 2010 U.S. Senior Open.