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Varsity 541 NEWS NOW Owner of dogs that mauled terrier wants speedy trial; dogs still held ... 10 Dems vie for Bates' Senate seat ... Quick response stops Shady Cove brush fire at an acre ... Owner of dogs that mauled terrier wants speedy trial; dogs still held ... 10 Dems vie for Bates' Senate seat ... Quick response stops Shady Cove brush fire at an acre ... PREP NOTEBOOK Challenger boys poised for big finish Comment By Kris Henry Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Kris Henry Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 28, 2015 at 2:00 AM By Kris Henry Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 28, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Social News Patience is a premium trait for any golfer, but not one easily acquired. As Cascade Christian’s boys golf program has evolved over the past few years, the Challengers have had to patiently wait for their time to shine at the Class 3A/2A/1A level, stuck in the shadow of their cross-town counterparts at St. Mary’s. While the Crusaders were busy winning state title after state title — the number is at a state record-tying four straight — Cascade Christian quietly began to assemble a capable group with grand plans. When the Challengers finished runner-up to St. Mary’s at last year’s state tournament, with Jake Quast and Max Davis tying for fourth place overall and set to return this season, the reality that their time was near seemed crystal clear as the group exited Trysting Tree Golf Club. “They wanted to do as well as they could last year and I think they did by finishing second,” said Cascade Christian head coach Jerry Johnson. “Last year, St. Mary’s set records with what they did (291 score after 18 holes, 590 after 36), they were just awesome, but we did have the attitude after we got second that they wanted (a state title in 2015) that much more. That’s what they’ve worked toward all offseason.” All that hard work appears to be paying off for Cascade Christian, which served notice to the rest of the field in the first tournaments of the season with wins over St. Mary’s and continues to excel. The Challengers have benefitted from a return to the lineup of seniors Jake Quast and Michael Clark, junior Davis and sophomore Ben Quast, who spearheaded the team’s highest finish at the state tourney a year ago and came back reinvigorated. Two weeks ago, Cascade Christian cruised to victory at the Boys Pre-State Invitational at Quail Valley Golf Course in Banks with a season-best score of 305. That effort was 22 strokes better than runner-up Westside Christian and 41 better than third-place teams St. Mary’s and Catlin Gabel. Leading the charge on that day was Davis, who shot 1-over-par 73 to earn medalist honors by one shot over teammate Jake Quast and Valley Catholic’s Jake Ong. Ben Quast and Clark were part of a three-way tie for fifth place at 79. “We’ve still got a lot of golf left so we’ll see how it goes,” Johnson said, “but the kids are really driven to go as far as they can.” With this group, Johnson said there are no stones left unturned. The Challengers have been diligent in preparing over the summer and in the offseason for what they hope will pay off in first-ever district and state championships over the coming weeks. “Obviously the young men that I have, they’re just driven,” said Johnson. “I don’t really have to drive them to get better because they come to practice and they’ve already got a look on their faces that shows they know what they need to do. Whatever part of the game that maybe from the tournament before didn’t go well for them, they know what they need to work on and they do it. If they wanted my help, I’m there to help them, but they’re driven on their own to do whatever it takes to get better.” Best of all, the competitive level among the group has helped the Challengers each raise their games. Cascade Christian has been led in scoring by three different players (Davis, Jake Quast, Clark), and it’s rare when the separation from first and fourth place is by more than six strokes. “We have the kind of team where different people step up on certain days and it’s really nice to see that,” said Johnson. “I don’t think we’ve played a tournament yet where everybody shoots what they’re capable of shooting. Hopefully we’ll see that in the near future.” While all his players are dedicated and deserving, Johnson said he’s been particularly pleased with the senior leadership provided by Jake Quast. The coach put that role on the fourth-year performer, who is slated to sign with the Dominican University men’s program on Wednesday, and the elder Quast has not disappointed. “He’s the most driven of them all,” said Johnson. “It’s kind of nice that we have that because the kids look up to him and I think they’re just all following along in his path.” Where that path leads remains to be determined, with the district tournament set May 11-12 at Eagle Point Golf Club before hopefully shifting to the state tourney May 18-19 at Quail Valley. “There are some schools that are very capable of shooting low numbers,” said Johnson, “but I try to tell the kids that we shot a 305 before so our goal is to shoot under a 305 every chance we get. We’re not going to worry about other teams, we’re just going to worry about getting our number down as low as we can.” The Challengers have seen that approach bode well in recent years for their Medford counterparts at St. Mary’s, so why mess with what works? “The good thing is they’ve competed against St. Mary’s for the last several years and the kids know each other very well and get along really well,” said Johnson. “They’re all competitors, though, and our kids have really wanted to try to see if we could outdo them sometime. We haven’t been able to do it yet, and St. Mary’s is still the defending state champion as far as we look at it. Our boys just want to go see if they can put it all together and get it to the level St. Mary’s is at.” Reach reporter Kris Henry at 541-776-4488, [email protected], www.facebook.com/krishenryMT or www.twitter.com/Kris_Henry By Kris Henry Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Kris Henry Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 28, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction Schedules & Events --> Recent Scores --> Prep Notebook Kris Henry Challengers make it back on top in softball Winning the Southern Cascade League title seemed like a pretty bold goal this spring considering the recent history of the Cascade Christian... Varsity 541 Photos Coach K Summer Competition at SOU U19 Memorial Day Challenge North Medford vs. Grant State Track & Field 6A-6 SWC District Championships 5A-3 Midwestern League Districts - Day 1 » More Photo Galleries Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications | Contact Us | Advertise | © Copyright Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.