Both Ephrata Tiger golf programs finished in the top 10 in team scoring during the WIAA Class 2A state tournaments, held May 19-20 in western Washington.

The Lady Tigers placed seventh overall with 39.5 points at Riverside Golf Club in Chehalis. The EHS boys took ninth with 31 points at Tumwater Valley Golf Club in Tumwater.

Girls

At Riverside, freshman Sophie Molitor led Ephrata, tying for 19th individually at 185 with combined rounds of 96 and 89. Seniors Stella Bayley and Rayn Castillo tied for 30th at 194, followed by Cecilia Roth who tied for 42nd at 206. Junior Alyee Roberts finished with an opening-day round of 108.

Washougal won the state title at 102 points. Selah, the Central Washington Athletic Conference's other team to qualify, tied for third after placing two golfers in the top 20 individually.

Looking back on their 2026 season, Lady Tigers advanced to state after winning their third consecutive District 5 title a week earlier at Black Rock Creek Golf Course in Sunnyside. All five EHS golfers finished in the top 10 at district to earn state berths.

Molitor drove the postseason. She entered district play as Ephrata's No. 3 seed and 10th in CWAC standings, but then shot a season-best 87, to win the individual title over Selah's Elaine Mower. Mower tied for eighth at state, the top CWAC finisher.

In her prep career, Bayley qualified for state four straight years, trimming 15 strokes off her freshman district score in the process. Castillo, a three-time state qualifier, and Roth, a state alternate last year, round out a talented senior class that Ephrata coach Tracy Pickeral has worked with since the players were freshmen.

Pickeral said she hopes the senior class is remembered for more than its scorecards. "I want people to remember how dedicated, competitive and funny these young ladies are," she said. "They are always striving to do their best and do it with integrity."

What stood out most across the season, she said, was the group's commitment. The team practiced five days a week, with matches on one or two of those days, and rarely did anyone miss. "What stands out most is the dedication and support of the girls," Pickeral said. "They are always on each other's side, there to encourage, help each other improve and listen."

Pickeral said the finish fell just short of the team's state hopes but delivered nearly everything else. "While the team had greater aspirations for our state appearance, I am very proud of how our season ended," she said.

The season also brought All-CWAC recognition. Bayley was named conference MVP and joined Castillo on the first team. Molitor made the second team, and Roberts and Roth earned honorable mention. Ephrata took the girls team sportsmanship award. The team also earned an Outstanding Academic Award for posting a collective grade-point average of 3.5 or better.

Junior Roberts and freshmen Molitor and Lillian Bayley are expected to anchor next year's roster, though the program builds without a feeder system. "Unfortunately we don't really have a golf pipeline," Pickeral said, citing the absence of local junior or middle school programs. "We will have a young team, but if we can continue to add three or four every year that will help."

Boys

On the Tumwater links, junior Caiden Weber led the Ephrata boys, tying for 17th at 155, improving by three strokes – from a 79 to 76 – on the second day. Senior Caleb Moberg placed 34th at 165, while Cody Ogle tied for 39th at 171.

Bainbridge won the title at 159.

The Tigers earned their three state berths at the District 5 tournament hosted on their home course at Lakeview Golf and Country Club. Ephrata shot 332 to Grandview's 331, one stroke short of the team title. Weber carded an 81 to tie for sixth; Ogle and Moberg were two strokes back at 83 to tie for ninth.

Four Tigers earned All-CWAC honors for the season. Weber made the conference second team, seniors Moberg and Ogle and junior Jett Julian earned honorable mention.

Coach Dan Molitor was pleased by his players' performances.

"Very proud of the boys and how they did at districts and state," Molitor said. "(They) actually exceeded my expectations. I was very proud they put in a good fight."

He credited the work they put in to achieve it.

"It's so great to see all of them turn out and just work hard at their game and get better," Molitor said. "And this game, it's a mental one and you have to take it on and conquer it."

Speaking personally, the second-year coach said he "felt steadier" and more assured guiding the team than in 2025.

"I felt more comfortable coming into year two knowing some of the boys," said Molitor, who credited assistant coach Larry Redfield with refining how they approached players.

"We learned how to communicate better to the boys ... and make a difference hopefully in all of them," said Molitor. "We all grew as coaches and players."

The Tigers graduate a quartet of seniors in team members Moberg, Ogle, Brady Hendrick and Andrew Jacobsen.

"Getting to know them all this year was a lot of fun," Molitor said. "They are all great young men and all have amazing attributes for the future to anyone that's going to be around them. Taking two (seniors) to state and to make day-two cuts, I was so proud of them and their hard work."

The classmates reach past golf, too, he said.

"They're all multisport athletes, and smart," Molitor said. "They're a good group ... and hopefully they play the game of golf their whole life."

Looking to the future, Weber is expected to return next spring along with juniors Jett Julian and Rogan Homer, sophomore Connor Roth, and freshman Noah Castillo.

And the pipeline is filling, Molitor indicated. He pointed to several seventh-graders turning out consistently and a pair of eighth-graders — his son Seve and Graeme Adams — who will be competing in tournaments this summer.