Redmond posted its best golf score of the season on Monday at the Mount Si Golf Club.
Unfortunately for the Mustangs, so did Mount Si. The Wildcats slipped past Redmond by four strokes, 183-187, in a match many believe will decide the regular-season 4A Kingco champion.
Alex Mroz and Alex Abbruzza led the way for the Mustangs, both shooting even-par 36, with freshman standout Lyle Rudnicki firing a 1-over 37. Alex’s younger brother, Charlie, carded a 38.
Mount Si’s talent as well as a home-course advantage was simply too much for the Mustangs to overcome, as the Wildcats’ top three scorers were a collective 2-under-par.
The day started off inauspiciously for Redmond, as the first ball hit during the match was hooked left into the woods. After a long search, the ball was never found and the Mustangs started with a triple bogey.
“It started off bad and didn’t get any better,” said Redmond head golf coach Chris Zimmerman. “Our senior guys who have been solid all year, they had a rough day.”
While the Mustangs have a definite edge while playing matches at their difficult home course, Bear Creek Country Club, Redmond had to play its biggest Crest Division competitor on an unfamiliar course.
“It was our first time at Mount Si, a course you need to play a few times to learn the lay of the land,” Zimmerman said. “But I was proud of my guys going out there on a course they’ve never played and shooting some good numbers.”
Zimmerman was especially proud of Rudnicki’s performance, who still managed to shoot a 37 despite a devastating triple bogey on the last hole. The freshman was two-under-par through the first eight holes of his round.
The third-year coach, who is also an assistant pro at Bear Creek, felt going in that the Mount Si match was going to decide the Kingco title, and Redmond’s loss created an interesting situation in the division race, with Eastlake, Mount Si and Redmond each holding a 5-1 record.
Redmond plays Eastlake on Thursday at Bear Creek in a must-win situation against the 4A golf powerhouse.
“We have to win the rest of our matches,” Zimmerman said. “If we end up beating Eastlake and they go undefeated for the rest of the season, we’ll still be ahead. We also need to have (Mount Si) lose another match, otherwise we’d be looking at a probable tie.
“The big thing is the district tournament at Snohomish, though. It’s real nice to win the team title at districts, which has eluded us the last two years.”
The Mustangs take on Interlake Monday, Oct. 6 at Tam O’Shanter Golf Course in Bellevue.
