THE FRONT ROW with JASON ELLIOTT: With trust came title for Wilson
Coeur d’Alene High girls golf coach Jeff Lake trusts Ella Wilson, no matter what.
As a student.
Athlete.
You name it.
Lake just believes that she'll come through, whatever situation you put her in.
SO AS last Saturday’s final round of the state 6A golf tournament played out, Wilson falling behind and having to win in a playoff, Lake just knew.
“I’m a firm believer that Ella can win any tournament she enters,” said Lake, who coached the Viking boys soccer team for eight seasons, advancing to the 2016 title match. “I’ve known Ella for a number of years, and at a very young age, it was obvious to me she was a superstar athlete and person. I’ve been coaching kids for over 20 years, and Ella is one of the top athletes I’ve ever coached and encountered. And I’ve coached some amazing athletes that includes Graison Le, Chris Swider (currently playing soccer at Gonzaga), Adam Borsheim and Austin Garitone.”
And she’s coachable.
"She is open to ideas, feedback and criticism,” said Lake, in his fourth season as girls golf coach. “It’s about constant improvement and betterment for her. Team and being a Viking are also very important for Ella. She bleeds Viking blue. She not only wants to win, but she wants our team to win, and she is so supportive of her fellow teammates.”
Coeur d’Alene finished second in the girls state tournament for the second straight year last Saturday at Highland Golf Course in Pocatello.
Wilson led after the first round with a 3-under-73. She had six bogeys in a row in the second round before bouncing back to move into a playoff with defending champion Ella Arnzen of Timberline High of Boise. On the first hole of the playoff, Wilson eagled the par-5, 432-yard 18th hole after Arnzen missed her eagle putt to claim the individual title.
“When she has a setback, Ella learns from it and recovers faster than any athlete I’ve worked with,” Lake said. “Setbacks are an opportunity for growth for her. At the turn, she reset herself, calmed her mind and won the tournament with two birdies to send it to a playoff and winning on a massive putt.”
Arnzen will continue her playing career at Division I Austin Peay in Clarksville, Tenn.
ARNZEN GOT the best of Wilson in a Sept. 10 tournament at Banbury Golf Course in Eagle, with Arnzen shooting a 69 and Wilson an 80.
“Even though she lost, Ella used that day to reflect, grow and improve,” Lake said. “That trip to Boise was a tough trip and we developed quite a bit of grit and character as a team after that adventure. I knew that when Ella Wilson saw Ella Arnzen again, she had a really great opportunity to knock her off. And that’s exactly what happened.”
Only a freshman, Lake believes Wilson will only grow from this season.
“She might have a setback from time to time, but those setbacks will provide an opportunity for her continued growth,” Lake said. “She is awesome now and she will only get better. I feel very lucky to get to coach and mentor Ella. Our school and city is very lucky to have her representing us.”
KEEP IN mind that Coeur d’Alene’s other state medalist (top 10 finisher), Jossetta Williams, is also a freshman as well and the Vikings will return a majority of this same group next fall. Rocky won the title by 11 strokes over Coeur d'Alene, 647-658.
During the regular season, Coeur d’Alene beat Rocky Mountain, the four-time state champion, in the Circling Raven Invitational, so that first program state title could be well within reach.
You’ve just got to believe that, right?
Jason Elliott is a sports writer for The Press. He can be reached by telephone at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on ‘X’, formerly Twitter @JECdAPress.
Ella Wilson