DUVALL – Last season was a tough one for the Cedarcrest boys’ golf team.

A 0-9 record in league play and last place at the 3A KingCo League tournament would have soured anyone on golfing, but coach Les Collins hung in there, and so did eight of his athletes who will return this year.

“We were in a few matches last year where we just couldn’t get our strokes when we needed them,” Collins said.

Collins thinks the boys will do well this season – and definitely better than the bottom of the league.

Mount Si, who was last year’s league champions, Mercer Island, Newport and Bellevue should give them a challenge, but Collins isn’t afraid to say the Red Wolves will improve and finish somewhere in the middle of the 10-team league this time.

“We do have strong representation in our young kids and another year of maturity in our other golfers.” Collins said. “I think were going to be competitive.”

He also thinks several of his golfers may make it to the Sea-King District meet. To do so, they must be one of the 25 best golfers in the KingCo League.

Doing well at league and progressing to district gives golfers a chance to advance to state competition. Last year no one on the team went to the district meet. Senior Jason Kamada made it as an alternate during the league tournament, but did not get a chance to compete at district.

Collins said this year’s players are enthusiastic and that should give them a good nudge toward success when it’s most needed.

“We’ll compete a lot better than we did last year,” Collins said. “They’ve just got to bring their game that day we go to playoffs.”