Boys Golf: W.F. West Take Three-Team Meet But Centralia’s Von Wasson Shines

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W.F. West used excellent depth and balanced scoring to capture a three-team meet with Centralia and Rochester at Riverside Golf Course Wednesday, but it was the Tigers’ Von Wasson that stole the show.

Wasson shot a 32, which included four birdies and five pars, to easily capture medalist honors by seven strokes in what was the game of his life.

“It was the best round of golf I’ve seen in a dual match in my five years of coaching,” Centralia coach Hal Gronseth said. “Not sure we’ve had someone (at Centralia) shoot a better round.”

Wasson may have made history at Centralia, which isn’t an easy accomplishment. The Tigers won a state championship in the mid 1980s.

Wasson nearly had an even better day then he ended up with. He missed an eagle putt on the 15th hole and, earlier, had to scramble on hole nine after his only bad shot of the day. He teed off into a tree, the ball bounced on the fairway and he hit 150 yards to 15 to 20 feet from the hole and sunk the putt for par. By then, word had gotten around the course of his performance and a crowd had gathered to watch.

“We knew he was certainly capable of doing this,” Gronseth said. “To do what he did today is special.”



But it was the Bearcats as a team that rolled to victory, shooting a 232 to beat Centralia by three strokes.

Ben Halverstadt shot a team-best 41, Brock Bunker had a 44, Dirk Plakinger shot a 46, Tukker Rosbach ended with a 50 and Nate Dahlin and Mika Ethel each shot 51. 

“W.F. West was solid, consistent and they had a lot of depth,” Gronseth said.

Centralia was second, led by Wasson’s 32, Cole Wasson shot a 39 for second place, Colby Christensen had a 52, Tucker Weaver a 54, Brady Sprague shot a 58 and Matteo Guerrero had a 69 as the TIgers finished at 235.

Rochester was third at 266. Hyde Parrish shot a 47, Rowdy Edminster had a 51, Brady Moen a 54, Xavier Mendez and Cooper Rhodeheaver each had a 57 and Braden Hartley finished with a 58.

Centralia hosts Aberdeen at Riverside on Wednesday. W.F. West hosts Rochester and Tumwater at Newaukum Valley Golf Course on Wednesday.