High School Golf Preview

Columbia Falls still searching for more players

Players wanted.

No golf experience necessary.

Call Columbia Falls High School coach Gene Marcille at 892-3164 for more information.

No, Marcille has not posted a classified ad in his local newspaper. But the help wanted sign is definitely out once again.

"There still is an opportunity for girls (to participate this season)," Marcille said.

"They don't have to have experience, just a good attitude. The opportunity is there."

Attracting players has become a yearly challenge for Marcille. The Wildkats have just four girls on the 2006 roster with Sarah Cazier, a junior, the lone veteran in the group.

"Over the summer she worked hard on her game," Marcille said.

"Took some lessons. She's fired up about being back."

Now he only wishes he could get more girls fired up, or at least interested, in the sport.

"We've always had a lot of boys playing golf," Marcille said.

"The trend in the area seems to be more boys and less girls (playing it)."

Marcille said when the golf seasons switched several years ago - moving from spring to fall - it became harder to attract players. In the spring, golf competed with track, tennis and softball for athletes. Now it battles soccer, volleyball and cross country for athletes.

The Columbia Falls boys, on the other hand, have more than enough players with 15.

"That is kinda our maximum number," Marcille said.

Leading the Wildcats will be Bob Pearce, a senior. He has been to state twice.

"He's a kid who can compete for the top five in every meet we attend," Marcille said.

"A good golfer and athlete. We hope to get some good leadership out of him."

Jake Lutz, another senior, will mark his fourth season as a varsity player. Logan Sandman, a senior, Zane Ridings, a junior, and Micah Jam, another junior, also have varsity experience.

Two newcomers worth mentioning are Tanner Lineberry, a freshman, and Chase Grilley, a junior.

"He spent the summer playing golf," said Marcille of Lineberry.

"He was on the junior tour, competed well. He got a lot of great competition under his belt. He certainly will push our older boys for varsity spots."

Grilley joins the team for the first time.

"A good athlete," Marcille said.

"One of our stronger basketball players. He plays a lot of golf."

Regarding the boys season, Marcille is more than hopeful.

"Qualify for the state tournament as a team," he said

"That's a legitimate goal."

The top three teams at the divisional meet advance to state, which will take place Oct. 6-7 in Butte.

Bigfork

The boys squad was hit especially hard by graduation, losing four talented seniors in Chris Richter, Chance Keller, Nathan Roessman and Robert Walters. Richter finished second at the state tournament.

"Basically, I lost my whole team," said veteran coach Steve Hullett.

But not all is lost.

The Vikings return senior Owen Roberts, who will be on the varsity for a third-straight season.

"A good player," said Hullett of Roberts.

"He's capable of playing really well."

Travis Boughton, a senior transfer from Idaho, will help strengthen the squad.

"He's a three handicapper," said Hullett. "A good player."

And Tyler Butts, a junior, will give Hullett three solid performers.

The Vikings have 11 golfers competing.

For the girls, four return with varsity experience. They are: seniors Delbie Wilken and Kaemyn Meagher and sophomores Carson Harris and Amy Gembala.

Wilken competed at state a year ago.

Caitlann O'Dell, a sophomore, and Cassie Campbell, a freshman, give the Valkyries two more strong players.

"Delbie, Kaemyn and Carson all played over the summer," said Hullett.

"I think they have an opportunity to be pretty good. We have four pretty solid players and two beginners."

The Valkyries lost two players to graduation - Rebecca Buffington and Amy Kuhn.

Eureka

Not only are the Lions switching classes - moving up from B to A - but they are also switching seasons.

Eureka completed a very successful boys season in the spring, finishing third at the state Class B meet.

Class A golf, along with AA, is held in the fall.

"Feels like we just quit," said Eureka coach

Duke Bigham.

"I'm looking forward to the season to see how well the kids do. I think we will compete kinda decent this year even though were in A. They won't be intimidated by it."

Four members of last year's team return in seniors Grady Grayson, Devon Miller and Mattie Longfield and sophomore Dalton Williams.

Williams took medalist honors at two meets in the spring while Longfield tied for fifth at state.

"They really get into golf," said Bigham of his players.

"A couple play in the league up here, four of them have passes at Whitefish, another at Buffalo Hill. They get into golf and that's why they excel."

Bigham has 12 athletes on the roster.

The Lions do not offer a girls program.

Flathead

The Bravettes opened the season in Great Falls Monday with a lineup that featured experience and youth.

Seniors Shea Clayton and Brooke Sampson made the trip along with junior Betsy Engle, sophomore Tarin Brown and freshman Karli Aurich.

Sampson was the team's best performer a year ago at state, just missing out on a top 10 finish.

"For the most part, it's blue-collar," said coach Alice Ritzman.

"All of these girls work (jobs first during the summer) and play golf second. We have a couple kids that are the exception to the rule and those will become our best players."

One veteran, senior Emily Betthauser, did not make the first road trip of the season. She did not have enough practices in to qualify.

Betthauser, the team's player of the year in 2005, will be ready for the team's second outing.

Juniors Caitlin Sundborg and Hootie Feller, and sophomore Martha Obermiller are a couple more varsity candidates. Beth McNutt, Michelle Tanberg and Sarah Cunningham show some promise.

The boys squad was rocked by graduation, losing four talented players in Taylor Gardner, Kyle Dunfee, Brandon Schuff and Alex Dachs.

"Gardner and Dachs made all-state honors," said Ritzman.

"They will be missed."

Iverson, however, was named the team's player of the year.

"He's definitely the anchor," said Ritzman.

"He played a lot (this summer), especially as of late. He's made some definite improvement."

Jaden Treece, a junior, was an alternate for the state team last year. He's currently the Braves' second-best player.

"No superstars," said Ritzman of her squad.

"Very solid players. A bunch of players who should put up some pretty decent scores."

Seniors Drennan Waller, who Ritzman calls "very steady, very reliable," and Connor Tanberg, who has split time with the JV and varsity, will give the team some depth.

Ben Piersall, Aaron Young, Grahm Schmaltz, Jake Miller, Cody Grosswiler, Chad Gassaway, Brian Hensleigh, Justin Newton, Quin Kropp, Michael Boreson and Joey Snyder could all challenge for varsity action.

Libby

Jim Mee, a junior, leads a talented boys squad that will include Rory Hendrickson, a senior, Eric Anderson, a sophomore, and freshmen Eric Grotjohn and Zachary Wilson.

"We have a pretty good group returning, a couple good freshmen who will help us," said coach Dann Rohrer.

"(Grotjohn and Wilson) will push some guys. I'm excited about the season being here."

Mee played in some international golf events this summer and will be a contender in every tournament.

"He's breaking the 70 mark consistently now," said Rohrer.

"He works very hard at the game. Plays a lot of golf and it's paying off."

Hendrickson has been a solid performer in the past and has already turned in some strong scores.

The girls return two veterans in juniors Korey Kulbeck and Sperry Robinson.

"A bunch of new girls," said Rohrer.

"We'll see how they do. They're swinging away."

Polson

Polson, which won its first ever girls state championship last fall, did lose five talented seniors in Jen Orchard, Kristine Samsel, Stephanie Rowold, Whitney Pitts and Sami Beaver.

But the Pirates have plenty of talent returning.

"I had a good JV team last year," said coach Bill Owen.

"Some of those girls really worked in the offseason. I'm looking forward to see how they progress. They're young, but they're working at it."

The lone senior on the roster is Colleen DeVoe. This is her second year on the links.

Owen has a solid group of sophomores, led by Julia DiGiallonardo, Cali Hislop, Lacey Kuam and Caitlin Mahoney.

"She (DiGiallonardo) did the most work, had a good offseason" said Owen.

A couple of promising freshman are Natalia Arlint and Whitney Bauer.

"I have a good feeling about the girls," said Owen.

"I think we'll be competitive. It comes down to how far we can move them along during the season."

The PHS boys welcome back two players who competed at state - junior Shawn Medland and senior Harry Medland.

"Both are playing well," said Owen.

"Both put in a lot of time in the offseason. I'm expecting them to be up from where they were last season."

Jake Grebetz, a senior, saw varsity experience, but didn't make the state cut.

A couple of juniors to watch for are Ed Newman and Aaron Clairmont. Clairmont played as a freshman, but did not go out last year

Sophomore Tyler Engebretsen also spent a lot of time over the summer fine-tuning his game.

"We have talent," said Owen.

"Not all put in the investment (over the summer), so we have some work to do. We hope to be ready at the end."

The Polson boys finished second in divisional play in 2005, fifth at state.

Whitefish

The numbers game is never a problem for the Bulldogs. National coach of the year Terry Nelson has 26 boys on his roster and 14 girls.

"A few more girls than normal," he said.

Gone are five talented athletes from this tradition-rich school. Chris Conners is now playing golf at Montana Tech, Matt Krause at West Point and Maresa Jenson at Pacific Lutheran.

Alex Micklewright and Porsche Erekson also had offers to play golf collegiately.

The Whitefish boys are two-time defending state champions and have posted back-to-back undefeated seasons.

Returning for the boys are: seniors Tyler Holtet, Derek Denning, Zac Wooten; juniors Sam Krause, Andre Groschupf, Shawn Watterud, Kyle Jacobson; and sophomores T.J. Fennelly, Daniel Markus and Mikel Miller.

Holtet, who won four tournaments last fall, will miss the first month of the season with a dislocated shoulder.

"The night before the first practice, playing Frisbee," said Nelson of Holtet's injury.

Holtet was the divisional champion a year ago and placed ninth at state.

"He's handled it really well," Nelson said.

"He's coming to practice, chipping and putting. Hopefully he will be back in 3-4 weeks."

Denning, Wooten and Krause all won at least one tournament in 2005. Krause had the low-stroke average on the team, 72.4.

"I think they will be in the hunt in every tournament they are in," Nelson said.

"They will probably have a target on their back (going for a third-straight perfect season)."

Two promising newcomers are freshmen Ryan Zalucky and Joel Mallams.

Nelson has no seniors on the girls roster. Chelsea Ray and Hillary Johann are juniors.

The sophomore class is loaded with talent, led by Quinn Micklewright, Ashley Archer, Nicole Shelling and Ellen Scheffer.

Breanna Cameron, Tayler Johnson, Shelbi Long, Tara Sullivan and Namoi Barrett-Lanier head a talented freshman crew.

"It amazes me how hard she works," said Nelson of Cameron.

"She understands the importance of the short game."