Though the high school state golf tournaments in Whatcom and Skagit counties are still more than a week away, team state titles may be won or lost over the next two days.

Beginning today, area Class 3A and 2A players will be trying to qualify for next week’s state tournaments at their respective Northwest District tournaments.

The top 19 boys’ individuals and 19 girls’ individuals over the next two days in Class 2A will receive invitations to state, while only the top 11 boys and 10 girls from Class 3A advance to state.

Team district titles will be awarded today, but the focus remains on individually posting a low two-day total and qualifying for state.

Nobody knows that better than the Bellingham girls’ team, which owns six straight state team titles including last year’s 2A crown.

The Red Raiders have been pushed all season by Sehome and Burlington-Edison, who figure to not only pressure Bellingham for the district title today, but also give Bellingham all the competition it could want for a state title next week.

The 2A district girls’ tournament will be played at Snohomish Golf and Country Club in Lynnwood.

Bellingham’s Claire Rachor won the Northwest Conference Most Valuable Player award by scoring best in the seven conference tournaments this season. She averaged 63.4 points using the Modified Stableford Scoring System.

Jessica Davis finished third in the conference with an average of 56.7 points per tournament, while Katy Robinson was 13th with 43.6. The Red Raiders would love to have another player or two qualify for state, such as Lydia Smith (41.9).

Sehome, which finished second to Bellingham at state last year and has beaten the Red Raiders at NWC tournaments a few times already this season, had three players in the top six in NWC play this year. Leading the way was Tate Head (57.0), who finished second to Rachor. Karly Olson (56.4) and Kinsey Butler (50.0) were fourth and sixth, respectively, and Katie Jo Rielly (35.7) could give the Mariners four players at state.

Other Whatcom County players to watch could include Mount Baker’s Sabrina Hansen (40.1) and Blaine’s Nicole Christiansen (33.6) and Ashley Vincent (31.8).

The Class 3A girls’ tournament will be held a little closer to home at Lake Padden Golf Course.

Squalicum’s Brinn Hovde (45.3) was the top scoring 3A girl in the NWC. The Storm’s Nicole Wakabayashi (42.7) also could move on to state, as could Ferndale’s Alyssa Lane (44.0) and Mandy Wittmier (36.7).

On the boys’ side, Lynden’s Will Holdridge and Squalicum’s Matt Rawitzer should be contenders to win their respective district titles this week and possible individual state titles next week. Holdridge had the lowest average score in the seven NWC tournaments this year with a 72.9, and Rawitzer was right on his heels at 73.0.

Holdridge and the Lions will be at the 2A boys’ tournament at Skagit Valley Golf and Country Club. Lynden’s Kyle Crabtree finished fourth in the NWC with a 76.4, while Tate Dallas (82.6) and Eric Hersman (86.3) are also potential state qualifiers.

Other Whatcom County 2A players to keep an eye on include Bellingham’s Bryant D’Hondt (77.0), Mount Baker’s Dustin O’Schiro (84.7) and Sehome’s Scott Pelo (80.4), Joel Lawrence (80.6), Reid McEnvoy (82.4) and Stephen Harris (85.0).

Thomas Hyman (85.3) and Evan Mann (89.6) are among the other Squalicum hopefuls looking for two good rounds at Legion Golf and Country Club in Everett in the 3A boys’ tournament, while Taylor Carr (91.0) could be the top Ferndale hope.

The Class 1A boys and girls already began the qualifying process last week at the sub-district tournaments. The 1A bidistrict tournament will be held Tuesday at Whispering Firs Golf Course on McChord Air Force Base, where the top oneday totals for 22 boys and eight girls will be good enough to qualify for state.

On the boys’ side, Lynden Christian’s Michael Vos, Kurt Kvamme, Bill Elfo, Peter Larsen, Nate Wendt and Dana Engels and Meridian’s Adam Everitt, Joel Wiebe and Ty Peck qualified for the bi-district tournament. Meridian’s Alexis Wolf and Hannah Suhaldinak and Nooksack Valley’s Lauren Ramstead and Melissa Jensen will be playing in the girls’ tournament.