Led by Tyler Cassell’s second straight top finish, the Grays Harbor College men’s golf team placed second in the Highline Showdown on Sunday at Twin Lakes Country Club in Federal Way.

Cassell led all scorers with a 3-under par round of 69 to claim his second first-place finish in as many tournaments to open the season. The sophomore out of Olympia finished his round tied for first place in the Grays Harbor College Invitational a week earlier.

Bellevue’s Austin Duffy, who beat Cassell in a playoff hole the previous week, placed second behind Cassell by shooting a 2-under 70.

Three additional GHC golfers placed in the top 10 to help the Chokers to the second place team finish. Chokers Brady Hinds and Ethan Heydel tied for fourth with identical rounds of 77 and Jaron Howell came in ninth place carding a score of 79.

Grays Harbor finished one shot behind first-place Bellevue, totalling a score of 310.

“We have a young team and they are working very hard to help us continue to build a championship culture,” GHC head coach Ann Swanson wrote in an email, adding that her team will be a little shorthanded heading into their next event this weekend at the Suncadia Resort in Cle Elum. “We will be at a little disadvantage this weekend with only five of our (eight) guys being able to participate.”

The top finishes and low scores continue an upward trend for the GHC men’s golf program, which has had three team victories in the past two seasons and saw last year’s team captain and three-time medalist winner, Travis Bossio, received a scholarship to play at the University of Colorado.

“I am very proud of our player-development program,” Swanson wrote.

Grays Harbor College golfer Tyler Cassell shot a 3-under par 69 to take medalist honors at the Highline Showdown on Sunday at Twin Lakes Country Club in Federal Way. (Submitted photo)