Prep recap: A 300-yard drive won her a district title. Now she’s out for a state crown.
Sensing an opportunity, Boise senior Emily Cadwell stepped to the tee and went for it Monday.
She more than delivered.
The Washington State signee ripped a 300-yard drive during a second sudden-death playoff hole for the 5A District Three title. Her monster drive, aided partially by the wind, overshot the 288-yard, par-4 10th hole at Warm Springs Golf Course, landing on the back lip of the green and setting up a tap-in birdie putt that clinched her the district crown.
“To hit that drive was very stress relieving,” Cadwell said. “I think that was probably my best hole.
“... I don’t do that very often,” she added with a laugh.
Cadwell and Eagle junior Brooke Patterson, a Tulsa commit, both shot a 4-under 69 Monday. The sudden-death birdie earned Cadwell her second district title, adding to the medal she won as a freshman. But it didn’t come easily.
She got off to a rough start, falling three shots behind Patterson through five holes. But she didn’t panic, pulled within two shots before entering the back nine and slowly chipped away at the deficit.
“I just tried to stay in the moment and not get too far ahead of myself, because it could have easily slipped away,” Cadwell said. “I think that was the biggest thing.”
Boise coach Jon Neulist said Cadwell’s game has grown by leaps and bounds. But he said Monday’s rally showcased how far she’s come mentally since her freshman year.
“She’s a once-every-decade kind of golfer,” Neulist said. “She’s the complete package. She’s a phenomenal teammate, an amazing student in the classroom and obviously a phenomenal golfer out here as well.”
But one trophy remains missing from her mantle — a state championship. She finished second at state as a freshman, then took third as a sophomore. Idaho did not hold a state tournament last year.
“We joke at times that she’s always been the bridesmaid and never the bride,” Neulist said. “I think her maturity and senior-year drive, knowing that she’s got two more days of golf left, is putting her in a position confidence-wise to go into state. And whatever happens, happens.”
Rocky Mountain won the team district title Monday, its first since 2014. The Grizzlies shot 317, led by three top 10 finishes, including Lauren Parish (third, 75), Emry Gibbs (fifth, 77) and Josey Parish (seventh, 80).
Boise finished five strokes back at 322, narrowly edging Eagle at 323. All three teams automatically qualified for the state tournament May 17 and 18 at Avondale Golf Course in Hayden.
4A DISTRICT GOLF
Margaret Smock shot a 79, eight shots clear of second place, to win the girls individual title, and she led the way as Bishop Kelly ran away with the 4A District Three team title Monday at Centennial Golf Course in Nampa.
The Knights shot 372, 51 shots ahead of second-place Middleton and 77 shots ahead of third-place Ridgevue. Middleton and Ridgevue also qualified for the 4A state tournament at the Links Golf Club on May 17-18 in Post Falls.
Meanwhile, Middleton’s Seth Floyd comfortably won the boys individual title at 74, three shots ahead of second place. He also led the Vikings to the team title at 318. Middleton won its first team title and individual title at district since 2013.
Bishop Kelly (27 strokes back) and Nampa (46 strokes back) also qualified as boys teams for the state tournament.
2A DISTRICT GOLF
Cole Valley Christian swept the boys and girls team titles at the 2A District Three boys golf championship Monday at TimberStone Golf Course in Caldwell.
The Chargers edged Nampa Christian 337-338 for the boys title. But Nampa Christian’s Von Wasson took home the individual title by shooting a 71.
The Chargers also topped Nampa Christian 386-407 for the girls title. Nampa Christian brought home the girls individual champion, too, as Brianna Shervik led the pack at 80.
MONDAY’S TOP STARS
- Easton Amundson, Ridgevue (baseball): Hit a grand slam and went 4-for-4 to lead the Warhawks to an 8-1 upset of top-seeded Middleton in the 4A District Three Tournament semifinals, clinching Ridgevue (14-10) its first state tournament berth in program history.
- Megan Meracle, Borah (softball): Threw a one-hit shutout and struck out eight to lead the Lions (16-10) to a 1-0 upset of second-seeded Timberline in the first round of the 5A District Three Tournament.
- Delaney Keith, Skyview (softball): Hit two solo home runs to lead the Hawks (14-9) to an 8-5 win over perennial power Eagle in the first round of the 5A District Three Tournament.
- Pilar Cook, Bishop Kelly (softball): Fired a one-hit shutout and struck out eight to lead the Knights to a 10-0, five-inning win over Nampa in the 4A District Three Tournament semifinals. The win clinched Bishop Kelly (18-3) a spot at state.
- Dillon Fine, Homedale (baseball): Held Weiser to one run on two hits in a 5-1 victory in the 3A District Three Tournament semifinals. He also doubled and drove in two runs to clinch the Trojans (15-10) a state tournament berth.
[Related: 5A to 1A baseball, softball district brackets]
5A District 3 Girls Golf Tournament
Monday
At Warm Springs
Team scores (Top 3 to state)
1, Rocky Mountain 317. 2, Boise 322. 3, Eagle 323. 4, Mountain View 382. 5, Timberline 396. 6, Capital 398. 7, Borah 420. 8, Skyview 429. 9, Meridian 456.
Top 9 individuals (all to state)
1, Emily Cadwell, Boise, 69 (playoff). 2, Brooke Patterson, Eagle, 69. 3, Lauren Parish, Rocky Mountain, 75 (playoff). 4, Kate Goulet, Boise, 75. t-5, Emry Gibbs, Rocky Mountain, 77. t-5, Maddie Montoya, Borah, 77. 7, Josey Parish, Rocky Mountain, 80. 8, Christine Cho, Eagle, 81. 9, Heleina Staley, Eagle, 82.
4A District 3 Girls Golf Tournament
Monday
At Centennial
Team scores (Top 3 to state)
1, Bishop Kelly 372. 2, Middleton 423. 3, Ridgevue 449. 4, Emmett 457. 5, Columbia 490. 6, Nampa 493. 7, Vallivue 528.
Top 8 individuals (all to state)
1, Margaret Smock, Bishop Kelly, 79. 2, Olivia Lammey, Middleton, 87 (playoff). 3, Ava DeFranco, Bishop Kelly, 87. 4, Kelsey Elliott, Ridgevue, 90. 5, Annika Robbins, Emmett, 96. 6, Gia Godina, Bishop Kelly, 98. t-8, Gabrielle Cleaver, Nampa, 102. t-8, Sammy Wyne, Columbia, 102.
2A District 3 Girls Golf Tournament
Monday
At TimberStone
Team scores (Top 2 to state)
1, Cole Valley Christian 386. 2, Nampa Christian 407. 3, Liberty Charter 459. 4, Compass Charter 475.
Top 4 individuals (all to state)
1, Brianna Shervik, Nampa Christian 80. 2, Grace Singpraseuth, Cole Valley Christian 85. 3, Sophie Huff, Cole Valley Christian 86. 4, Ari Valadez, Liberty Charter 99.
4A District 3 Boys Golf Tournament
Monday
At Centennial
Team scores (Top 3 to state)
1, Middleton 318. 2, Bishop Kelly 345. 3, Nampa 364. 4, Ridgevue 372. 5, Emmett 407. 6, Columbia 412. 7, Vallivue 420. 8, Caldwell 430.
Top 8 individuals (all to state)
1, Seth Floyd, Middleton, 74. 2, Kobe Peterson, Ridgevue, 77. 3, Devon LaPrath, Middleton, 78. 4, Lincoln Hale, Bishop Kelly, 82. t-5, Curtis Seidel, Middleton, 83. t-5, Carter Cozakos, Middleton, 83. t-5, Ryan Grove, Nampa, 83. t-8, Luke Clark, Middleton, 85. t-8, Ethan Higgins, Nampa, 85. t-8, Jaxson Wright, Vallivue, 85.
2A District 3 Girls Golf Tournament
Monday
At TimberStone
Team scores (Top 3 to state)
1, Cole Valley Christian 337. 2, Nampa Christian 338. 3, Ambrose 355. 4, Compass Charter 380. 5, North Star Charter 437. 6, Liberty Charter 517.
Top 7 Individuals (all to state)
1, Von Wasson, Nampa Christian 71. 2, Cole Wasson, Nampa Christian 75. 3, Parker Wallace, Cole Valley Christian 78. 4, Gavin Rodeighero, North Star Charter 78. 5, Luke Birkinbine, Compass Charter 80. 6, Jaden Walter, Cole Valley Christian 81. 7, Carly Carter, Ambrose 81.
BASEBALL SCOREBOARD
SOFTBALL SCOREBOARD
This story was originally published May 10, 2021 at 7:40 PM.
