Ridgefield’s Fenton is a state qualifier in golf and flute, as well as author of 3 books

Coaches’ efforts to “make it work” were put to the test at last spring’s 2A district golf tournament, when the second day of the tournament conflicted with Fenton’s Advanced Placement U.S. History test.

“You can’t miss the AP test; there is only one day that you can take it,” Fenton said. “There are actually make-up dates. So I said ‘OK, great, I’ll do the make-up AP test, which is like a week later.’ But that was the same day as state, and I had been to state the past two years, so I pretty much knew I’d get to state. So it was just a nightmare to try to schedule everything.”

The solution the district coaches came up with was to allow Fenton to play her second round by herself.

Fenton took her AP test in the morning, then hustled up to Capitol City Golf Club in Olympia, where she teed off for her second round at district in the middle of the afternoon, after most of the rest of the field had completed play.

“She played 18 holes by herself, and the coach from Aberdeen walked with her to mark her score,” Ball said.

Fenton would finish sixth at district, clinching her third consecutive trip to the 2A state tournament.

Fenton has been golfing since she was in first grade, introduced to the sport by her father. She didn’t warm to it right away.

“I was a first grader and I was like ‘I don’t know what (golf) is, but I know I don’t really like it,’ ” Fenton recalled. “But my dad ended up getting me some lessons, and then I started actually liking it.

“It’s the thing I just started doing. I wanted to have fun, but I’m also super competitive. So my parents were like ‘OK, then we’ll feed that competitive spirit as long as you’re having fun.’ ”

In the fourth grade, Fenton found her next passion — the flute.

“My parents are like band geeks, so they got me flute lessons,” Fenton said. “I’ve been taking those for like 10 years now.”

Fenton advanced to the state solo and ensemble competition last year at flute, and had qualified again this season, until the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association postponed the event scheduled for late April in Ellensburg.

“Oh, no way. That’s so sad,” Fenton said after hearing of the postponement. “Did they postpone or cancel it? (It was postponed) … That’s so unfortunate. It’s tough because there’s nothing you can do about it. Hopefully, they’ll just push it back.”

Fenton has also written three novels that have been published on Amazon. It was something she was inspired to do in middle school, after reading “The Outsiders” in seventh grade.

“My English teacher said this was written by a 16-year-old,” Fenton said. “And I was like ‘if they can do it, I can do it.’ So I opened up a document, got inspired and started writing.

“Then I got to a point when I said ‘I guess I’m writing a whole book.’ And then when I was done, I thought ‘that was fun. Let’s do it again.’ ”

Fenton’s books have a young adult theme. Her most recent book “But What Am I?” is about a teen girl who lost her mother at a young age and now her father is sending her to therapy. It’s something she dislikes, in part because she’s harboring a secret. She can read minds.

“One day I hope to get traditionally published, with an agent and everything, have my books in Barnes & Noble,” Fenton said. “I’m a long way from that, but I think with each book I’ve gotten a lot better.”

She’s also improved on the golf course, and so have the Spudders.

In her sophomore year, Ridgefield’s girls golf team only had four golfers. “And the oldest of us were sophomores,” she added.

This spring, the Spudders field full varsity and JV rosters.

“We have four really good golfers who can contribute and know the game,” Fenton said. “I’m excited to see what we can do. Maybe we can send two or three golfers to state.”

Fenton plans to attend a four-year university in the fall — Baylor tops her wish list — and study business.

“And I also hope to play club golf in college, continue with concert band and keep writing,” she said.

There’s time now for all of those pursuits. Maybe this current crisis could inspire her next book.

“My second book (was about) a secret organization in NASA that’s trying to cover up the death of the sun, so people don’t panic,” she said.