Iverson's 2-peat puts him in elite group

And Polson celebrates a turnaround season in volleyball with a state trip

By DAVID LESNICK/The Daily Inter Lake

Since this is the season for leftovers (with Thanksgiving still fresh in our minds), here are two tasty morsels to feast on as we prepare for the start of the winter sports season, which begins today with high school basketball and wrestling.

We'll start off with golf, which opened the fall sports campaign in August and ended in early October.

Glacier senior golfer Larry Iverson finished off a brilliant prep career by winning back-to-back Class AA individual titles.

He won his first in 2007 by eight strokes (67-73-140) at Bridger Creek Golf Course in Bozeman. His second, at Green Meadow Country Club in Helena, was a bit tighter - five shots. He fired a 6-under-66 for the opening round and posted a 2-under 70 for the final 18.

Prior to state meet in Helena, which was delayed twice by cold weather and snow, Iverson shot a 27 on the back nine of the Championship 18 at Buffalo Hill Golf Club, his home course in Kalispell. He had seven birdies, an eagle and a par for that nine.

"I never met anyone who shot 27," Glacier golf coach Rob Logsdon said.

"That's something most great players go without their whole life."

Iverson missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole that day, which would have given him a 26.

"He didn't do anything funny like chip-in," Logsdon said.

"He made a couple of putts outside of 10 feet, outside of 20 feet."

Iverson, who will continue his golf career next fall at the University of Washington, becomes the third high school golfer from Kalispell to win two state championships.

The other two are from Flathead High School - Marlin Hanson in 1965-66, and Kay Simpson in 1966-67. Simpson currently lives in Sacramento, Calif.

Hanson was a medalist both times at the Missoula Country Club. His first title was a sudden-death playoff thriller with Rick Carpenter from Missoula. Hanson won on the second playoff hole. The second title he won by "one or two strokes," he said.

"At the time I won it, it was an all-class tournament," he said.

Hanson, now the assistant golf professional at Buffalo Hill Golf Club, says Iverson has a very promising career in front of him.

"He definitely has a lot of game. He's got length, and he's also very good around the greens. He's going to be a very good college player."

Hanson says Iverson "is easily the (the best golfer to come out of Kalispell) in the last 10 years, if not the last 20."

Iverson led AA this season with a 70.3 stroke average for 18 holes.

Glacier had two more strong contenders in Grahm Schmaltz, a scoring average of 75, and Justin Newton, 76.4. Schmaltz was sixth best and Newton was tied for 10th.

As a team, Glacier was second to state champ Billings West in team average with a 297.4 total. West was at 296.6. Glacier finished three shots behind West at state.

All total, there have been 11 state medalists from Kalispell. The others: Patricia Vaughn (1952), Joyce Kierleiver (1953), Chris Swanberg (1968), Stephanie Isch (1970), Randy Dupuy (1982), Greg Van Atta (1983), Ryan Malby (1990) and Ryan Linnell (2002).

Malby, the head golf professional at Village Greens Golf Course, is currently one of the top golfers in the Pacific Northwest.

One notable name missing from the list is Kalispell's most famous golfer - Alice Ritzman. She was a state runner-up twice (1969-70), but more importantly, was an LPGA Tour veteran.

"That's pretty exceptional," Ritzman, who coached Iverson at Flathead his freshman and sophomore years, said of his 2-peat.

"I've always thought his age, golf wise, was far beyond his years.

"Another thing that makes him very good, not only is he long, but he hits the ball straight. The fact he hits it as long as he does, and where he wants it to go, is exceptional."

Ritzman said Iverson's confidence has played a major part in his improvement.

"He's has had some success and that kind of feeds on itself," she said.

"He believes he's one of the best players around, and as a result, he is."

Add Polson to the list of high school volleyball teams that coach Jan (Fredenberg) Toth has taken to the state tournament.

Polson, 1-17 a year ago, advanced to the Class A event in Bozeman last month with a 12-6 mark.

The Pirates, making their first state appearance since the mid-1990s, fell to eventual state champion Lewistown in three games, and to Miles City in three games.

"I've always gone to places where the programs haven't been very successful," said Toth, who played high school volleyball at Whitefish and helped the Bulldogs win their first state championship in 1986 as a starting outside hitter.

"I love a challenge."

Toth's coaching career began in Big Sandy while she was still playing volleyball for Montana State-Northern.

"It's kind of a tradition that Northern volleyball players coach at Big Sandy," she said.

"That happens a lot at the Hi-Line schools."

She was the head coach at Big Sandy, which is 32 miles from Havre, and was assisted by two of her college teammates.

"I loved the kids, I loved the town, I loved the people," she said of Big Sandy.

Big Sandy did not advance to state, but "we did well. We were very competitive."

After student teaching in Whitefish and coaching under one of the state's elite coaches - Jackie Fuller - Toth took over a struggling Livingston program.

"They had never been to a state tournament in any girls sports," Toth said.

"My first year, we made it to the state tournament. My third year, we were playing in the state championship."

That was in 2000.

After a one-year coaching stint in Browning, Toth took over a floundering Cut Bank program. Once again, success quickly followed. During her three-year stay with the Wolves, they won their first divisional title and advanced to state twice.

"I've always been drawn toward programs that could use a little passion, some intensity," she said.

And thus the journey to Polson.

Toth took a teaching position at Polson to be closer to her parents, who have a home on Flathead Lake.

"When the coaching job came up, I just sat back and contemplated on whether I wanted to coach again," she said.

"The program needed some work. I wasn't sure if I was ready to take on another program again. I put a lot of emotion and passion into it. I get extremely close and bond to the girls in my program. I had to re-evaluate whether I had any coaching left in me. I wasn't used to losing."

And after futher evaluation …

"It didn't take much (for me to say yes)," she said.

"It was still in my blood. I knew it would be a tough road."

Although her mother passed away two years ago, her father was able to watch Polson reverse fortunes on the court in short order.

"It meant a lot to him to watch me coach," she said.

"I wanted to give him something to look forward to after my mom died."

Toth said she hit it off with her Polson players immediately.

"I knew they would follow me if I would lead them," she said.

"It's hard for any coach. If you don't get the big athletes out, you can't build a program. I have the good athletes."

And … perhaps something else.

"I don't know if it's me, or luck."

George Geise, sports editor of the Great Falls Tribune, and Paul Schmaltz provided statistical information pertaining to golf.