The road to the Class 5A boys state tournament in May could be a rough ride.

Three Central Oregon teams — Summit, Bend and Redmond — all figure to be in contention for state this season. But only two teams from Special District 1 will earn a ticket to Trysting Tree Golf Club in Corvallis, site of the 5A state championship.

“Bend, Summit, Redmond — someone will stay home from state … and all are capable of a trophy at state,” observes Rusty Clemons, who is in his 13th season coaching the Lava Bears.

As has been the case in recent years, the Storm appear to be the district favorites. Summit, winner of the past three district titles, finished as runner-up in the 2012 5A state tournament.

Gone to graduation are top scorers Cole Ortega and Dylan Cramer, who is now a freshman golfer at Utah State. The Storm do have three juniors — Ryan Blackwell, Declan Watts and T.K. Wasserman — who all played in the state tournament last season.

And Summit coach Mark Tichenor says incoming freshmen Ben Wasserman and Jack Loberg should add depth to an already deep program.

“We’re kinda lucky, the last few years, obviously, we’ve been really successful in district and state,” says Tichenor, who plans to retire after the academic year. “And we’ve had kids graduate. … Now it’s time for new guys. It’s kind of business as usual.”

Mountain View is in rebuilding mode and hopes to be competitive with the district’s elite. But the Lava Bears and Panthers have their eyes on state, too, with each roster boasting a slew of returning players.

Bend, which finished sixth at state last year, has five returners from last year’s team, including three-year team MVP Ryan Crownover and fellow senior Jaired Rodmaker.

Redmond drops from Class 6A and returns five varsity players, too, including Mason Rodby, who finished 29th at 6A state, and fellow seniors Tim Messner and Riley Cron.

“We will have to play well to beat good Summit and Bend High School teams,” says Tam Bronkey, Redmond’s first-year head coach, who doubles as the director of instruction at Eagle Crest Resort. “But our clearest team goal is to send our seniors off by going to state.”

Class 5A Girls

The race in Class 5A girls appears less difficult to handicap.

Summit has controlled 5A in recent years, and the Storm have their eyes on a fifth consecutive state title.

All but two of the Storm’s top players return from last year’s championship team, including sophomore Madison Odiorne, who won the individual state championship as a freshman. Odiorne is considered by many in Oregon golf circles as one of the state’s elite players regardless of high school classification.

Madi Mansberger should provide some senior leadership a year after finishing fourth in state. And two freshmen — Sarah Heinly and Rachel Drgastin — add to an already loaded roster.

So what is the goal this year for Summit?

“Defend our district and state championships and become the best team we can with seven or eight girls capable of playing varsity-level golf,” says Jerry Hackenbruck, who is in his sixth season coaching Summit’s girls.

Bend figures to be the Storm’s primary competition in district, having narrowed the gap with Summit in recent years and finishing as runners-up in districts and state a year ago. But the Lava Bears lost three players to graduation.

Still, Bend does return senior Heidi Froelich, who earned a fifth-place finish last year at state, and junior Madeline Rice, who both should help keep the Lava Bears competitive.

“With what (Summit) had coming back, they’re going to continue to dominate,” says Lowell Norby, who is in his fourth year coaching Bend. “We lost three seniors last year who were pretty respectable players. So we’re obviously retooling for the season. But I like the team that we have.”

Class 4A Boys

Reigning Greater Oregon League champion Crook County has reached state each of the past two seasons, but the Cowboys lost five players to graduation. That leaves senior Kody Kuk as the lone state participant still on the roster, says Crook County coach Zach Lampert.

Junior Jimi Seeley figures to lead Ridgeview in the program’s inaugural year, says coach Ron Buerger, a PGA professional at Eagle Crest Resort who takes over the first-year Ravens program after eight seasons at Redmond High.

Sky-Em League champion Sisters returns three players, including Nate Pajutee, who won the Sky-Em individual title and helped the Outlaws finish sixth at state. Sky-Em rival La Pine is rebuilding, but a “thin” roster could make a repeat performance a struggle for Sisters, says second-year Outlaws coach Bill Mitchell.

“It will be interesting to see what happens at the 4A levels this year,” Buerger says. “It could be wide open.”

Class 4A/3A/2A/1A Girls

First-year La Pine coach Todd Sickles believes senior ace Samantha McPherson can compete with just about any golfer, regardless of classification.

With a senior-laden team, the Hawks appear to be the favorite in Special District 5. But to make a return trip to state they will need to lean on McPherson, who finished 13th at state last season.

“She is a really good player,” says Sickles, a PGA pro who manages Quail Run Golf Course in La Pine. “She’ll go play somewhere (in college). She’s that good.”

Only three 4A schools appear to have the numbers to field full teams this season.

Newcomer Ridgeview is a wild card with five freshmen and three sophomores, and Crook County is inexperienced with juniors Chelsea Shank and Caitlyn Dalton the only players with varsity experience.

Sisters’ top scorers, Codie Lagao and Holly Chapman, are back, but the Outlaws lack the players to field a full team.

Madras and Trinity Lutheran have state hopefuls in Lauren Simmons and Victoria Sample, respectively.

Golfers to watch

A look at some of the top returning Central Oregon golfers for this season:

Girls

Madison Odiorne, so., Summit (pictured): As a freshman, shot a 68 at Bend’s Broken Top Club to win the district tournament a week before winning the Class 5A state championship

Heidi Froelich, sr., Bend: Northern New Mexico College signee finished fifth at the Class 5A state championship

Madi Mansberger, sr., Summit: Shot a final-round 78, the second-lowest round of the tournament, at the Class 5A state championships to finish fourth

Samantha McPherson, sr., La Pine: Tied for 13th place at Class 4A/3A/2A/1A state championship after a second-place district finish

Victoria Sample, so., Trinity Lutheran: Finished third in districts and 20th at Class 4A/3A/2A/1A state championship

Boys

Ryan Blackwell, jr., Summit: Finished third at district tournament before solid showing at Class 5A state championship landed him in a tie for 12th place

Declan Watts, jr., Summit: Finished fifth at district tournament and tied for 21st at state

• Ryan Crownover, sr., Bend (pictured): Placed 22nd at Class 5A state championship

Mason Rodby, sr., Redmond: Took third at Central Valley Conference championship and 29th at Class 6A state championship

Nate Pajutee, sr., Sisters: Won Class 4A Sky-Em League title before finishing tied for 26th place at state

— Zack Hall

Prep golf, at a glance

A look at the Central Oregon teams competing in golf this spring:

Boys

Class 5A

Bend High

Head coach: Rusty Clemons (13th season)

2012: Finished sixth at Class 5A state tournament

Outlook: With five key returners, including senior Ryan Crownover, should be among the state’s elite

Mountain View

Head coach: Lucas Taroli (seventh season)

2012: Finished fifth at Class 5A Special District 1 championships

Outlook: With young team, Cougars hoping to be more competitive with area’s top programs

Redmond

Head coach: Tam Bronkey (first season)

2012: Finished third at Class 6A Central Valley Conference District tournament

Outlook: Senior Mason Rodby leads veteran team that should compete with Bend and Summit for Class 5A supremacy

Summit

Head coach: Mark Tichenor (eighth season)

2012: Finished tied for second at Class 5A state tournament

Outlook: Juniors Ryan Blackwell, Declan Watts and T.K. Wasserman lead Intermountain Conference favorites

Class 4A

Crook County

Head coach: Zach Lampert (fifth season)

2012: Finished seventh at Class 4A state tournament

Outlook: After losing five graduates, must rebuild quickly to make third straight trip to state

La Pine

Head coach: Kent Wieber (first season after two-year hiatus, 12th season overall)

2012: Did not field complete team

Outlook: Inexperienced team looks to build foundation for future success

Ridgeview

Head coach: Ron Buerger (first season)

2012: First-year program

Outlook: Young group led by junior Jimi Seeley is hoping to compete with Class 4A’s best

Sisters

Head coach: Bill Mitchell (second season)

2012: Finished sixth at Class 4A state tournament

Outlook: Sky-Em champ Nate Pajutee returns, but thin roster will make return trip to state a challengee_SClB