NORTHWEST NOTES March 22, 2022
Circling Raven names new director of golf, head superintendent
WORLEY — Colin McMahon and Kal Zaranec have been appointed director of golf and head superintendent, respectively, at Circling Raven Golf Club, the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel and Circling Raven Golf Club announced.
Most recently, McMahon was head golf professional at The Creek at Qualchan Golf Course (2017-2022) in Spokane. Prior to that, he was first assistant golf professional at Toscana Country Club in Indian Wells, Calif. A graduate of Gonzaga University, this is his first director of golf position.
McMahon replaces Dave Christensen, who retired after 30 years in the golf industry.
“Having worked and gone to school in Spokane, I’ve probably played Circling Raven close to 50 times,” said McMahon, who will turn 30 years old later this month. “Knowing two former golf professionals there, both good friends, I’ve learned a great deal about the golf club. It’s very popular and it never disappoints. This is a wonderful opportunity that the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and the Casino Resort has given me. I couldn’t be more motivated to help Circling Raven remain among the top golf clubs in the country and climb to new heights.”
McMahon was the 2021 Inland Empire PGA Professional of the Year and the 2021 Pacific Northwest PGA Section Merchandiser of the Year.
Zaranec worked as Circling Raven’s first assistant superintendent prior to his promotion. He was first assistant superintendent at nearby Gozzer Ranch Golf and Lake Club prior to that.
Palaniuk third at
Bassmaster Elite Series event
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. — Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum finished third Monday at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Santee Cooper Lakes.
Palaniuk, who was second heading into the final day of the Bassmaster Elite Series event, finished with a four-day total of 98 pounds, 0 ounces, falling just shy of the century mark. The 2020 Santee Cooper Lakes Elite Series champion mixed things up in the Potato Creek region, fishing offshore bass with a Rapala OG Slim crankbait, jerkbaits, jigs and an X Zone Lures Blitz Worm before searching for big bedding bass with an X Zone Lures Adrenaline Craw.
“I knew I was going to need four or five big ones if I wanted to make a run at this thing,” said, Palaniuk, who formerly wrestled at Lakeland High and North Idaho College. “I caught a 6 3/4- and a 4-pounder (on my starting spot) and then it died off quickly and I couldn’t get any more big bites there. I felt like I was making good adjustments. I just couldn’t catch enough.”
Before the event began, Drew Cook had never led a single round of an Elite Series event.
Cook, of Cairo, Ga., grabbed the lead on Day 1 of the tournament with a catch of 31-13 and then never relinquished the first-place spot, as bags of 24-12, 24-3 and 24-9 pushed him to a four-day total of 105-5. He earned a $100,000 paycheck and a Century Belt for catching more than 100 pounds.
Palaniuk earned $30,000 at the event. The finish was pushed back a day because of severe weather on Saturday.
Cook and second-place pro Caleb Kuphall (103-1) became the 33rd and 34th different anglers to reach Century Club status.
Haruguchi named EWU volleyball coach
CHENEY — Jon Haruguchi was named Monday as the eighth head volleyball coach in Eastern Washington volleyball history, EWU athletic director Lynn Hickey announced. Haruguchi spent the past six seasons as an assistant and associate head coach at the University of Northern Colorado.
Haruguchi replaces Leslie Flores-Cloud, who resigned after four seasons and a 31-72 record.
Haruguchi arrived at Northern Colorado as an assistant coach in 2016 and was promoted to associate head coach in December of 2019. During his time in Greeley, Haruguchi helped guide the team to the NCAA Tournament in 2019 and 2021, winning the Big Sky Conference regular season and tournament championships in both seasons. UNC also appeared in the 2020 Big Sky tournament finals and in the 2018 season, earned the program's first invite to the NIVC tournament. In the six seasons Haruguchi was at UNC, the team posted a 112-60 overall record and qualified for the Big Sky tournament each season.
