THE FRONT ROW WITH MARK NELKE: Thursday, May 14, 2015
Two years ago, in his first season on the Lakeland High golf team, Preston Roth qualified for the state 4A tournament - and proceeded to shoot rounds of 82 and 88.
Fast forward two years later, and there was Roth, a senior playing in the final group at the state tournament on Tuesday at The Links, with a chance to win an individual state title - and help his team win a state title.
The first-day leader after shooting 72, Roth carded a 75 on the second day and finished fourth, four strokes behind the winner, helping Lakeland also finish fourth - good enough to bring home the first state golf trophy in school history.
"I've definitely stepped my game up in two years," Roth said.
NO PRESSURE, though.
Roth moved into the No. 1 spot on the Lakeland team this year, taking the place of none other than Derek Bayley, a two-time state champion who just wrapped up a successful season as a freshman on the Washington State golf team.
"Taking Derek's spot was definitely hard - those are really big shoes to fill," Roth said. "I don't know if I took his spot completely, but I definitely gave my team a chance to win every tournament. Sometimes I felt like I lived up to his name as the No. 1 at Lakeland, but Derek Bayley's Derek Bayley.
With school out at WSU, Bayley was at The Links for the state tournament, deputized as a Lakeland assistant coach.
"I'm struggling with my putting, and he gave me some tips there, and told me where to hit it on some holes before the round," Roth said. "He's a really good mentor, and he's a really good friend. I can't wait to play golf with him this summer; hopefully he makes it to the U.S. Open."
Bayley is scheduled to play in a local qualifier in Alaska next week.
ACCORDING TO his coach, Roth handled his new role this year just fine.
"If I'd asked anybody at the beginning of the year, 'Where are you guys going to be?' and they're going to go, 'Well you lost Derek, good luck,'" Lakeland High golf coach Mario Maddy said.
"And here we go with Preston, and he's in the No. 1 slot all year long, and he's competing all year long. There's nothing he can hang his head about. Nothing at all. (At state), he's right there with some very good players. ... I guarantee you, they probably overlooked him. Hopefully Preston plays beyond this (in college), he's a very good player, he's a good competitor."
As for the Hawk boys, Maddy said their fourth-place finish (as well as the girls' fifth-place finish) is something to build on. Lakeland's depth will be tested, though, as three of the five boys at state were seniors.
"Now we're into the trophies. What do we need to do to make the next step?" Maddy said. "How do we compete with a five-time state champ (Twin Falls won its fifth straight state title on Tuesday)? Don't get me wrong; I think we competed with them. But how do we take it away from them?"
Baby steps.
"A week ago we were in a dogfight with Sandpoint (at regionals) - who's going to go to state?" Maddy said. "And a week later, we're seven strokes away from winning state.
"I'm proud of the kids."
Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter@CdAPressSports.