State A golf starts today
By DAVID LESNICK
Whitefish boys go for 4th straight title
The Daily Inter Lake
If all goes as planned, this could be a historic week for the Whitefish boys' golf program.
The Bulldogs, winners of three straight Class A state championships, will try to make it a record tying four-in-a-row today and Thursday at the Old Works Golf Course in Anaconda.
Sam Krause, last year's medalist, will try to become the first WHS player to capture individual state titles back-to-back. The Whitefish girls also have a lot to shoot for - defending their title while Chelsea Ray, a runner-up a year ago, has her sights set on an individual crown this time around.
Whitefish left for state on Monday, giving the team two days to prepare for the tournament at Old Works. Monday's weather was brutal, temperatures in the 40s, but a wind chill made it feel even worse, like it was in the 20s. Golfers may have to contend with similar conditions when the tournament begins.
"The kids all played (in it) Monday, nobody complained," Whitefish coach Terry Nelson said. "We got through it. We learned a lot about it (Old Works) today (Monday)."
Nelson says cold weather should not affect his players as they successfully dealt with it last weekend at the Flatfish Invitational. WHS won the boys' and girls' divisional titles and had both medalists, Krause and Kiley McConnell.
"We're pretty ready for it," Nelson said. "They are all mentally tough that way.
"The cold won't hurt us. But we're not used to the wind like the east schools, who live in it every day."
Nelson says Krause, a senior, "has played well all year." Krause's main challengers will be Libby's Jim Mee and Hamilton's Josh Wilson and Josh Grenier, Jeremy Jensen of Havre and Casey Moen of Frenchtown. Krause shot 67-70-137 to win state last year while Mee was second and four shots back. Grenier finished fourth.
On the team front, Hamilton, Miles City and Billings Central will be Whitefish's main challengers.
The girls' chase for individual honors is wide open. Polson's Julia DiGiallonardo has played exceptionally well down the stretch. She placed fourth at state in 2006. McConnell is coming off her best showing of the season. Whitefish has two more players - Quinn Micklewright and BreAnna Cameron - who could push for the top spot. Hanna Barney of Livingston shot a 77 in her divisional last weekend and could be a factor.
On the team front, Miles City, Glendive and Polson will test Whitefish. The Whitefish girls have won 16 state titles. Prior to last year, the last one came in 1999.