Platke pulls through on 18
Reed Platke admits that it wasn't the best place for him to be.
"In the trees on the right," he said of his tee shot on the 18th hole.
As it turned out, it really didn't matter.
"I just launched a 9-iron up and over the trees," he said.
"I got lucky."
Platke's second shot found the green and came to a rest 10 feet short of the hole. He calmly dropped the putt for a birdie and the victory on Tuesday in the Flatfish Invitational at Whitefish Lake Golf Club.
Platke shot a 3-under 68 on the South Course to finish the two-day event with a 142 total, one shot better than runner-up Colin Gunstream of Missoula Hellgate.
Gunstream, who led Platke and the field by three shots with a 71 after Monday's round at the Indian Springs Ranch Golf Course in Eureka, shot a 72 on the final day.
Gunstream's second shot on the final hole landed on the back of the green. He then two putted for par.
"After I teed off on the last hole I looked at the card and we were even," Platke said.
"I felt good about it (my chances to win Tuesday), but I knew Colin would be hard to catch. He's a good player."
Platke, a junior, came within two strokes of matching his best round on the South Course.
He had nine pars on the front for a 35 and six pars and three birdies on the final nine for a 33.
He birdied the final two holes and finished with four straight threes.
He drove the green on the par 4 361-yard 17th hole. He two-putted from 20 feet.
"For the most part, my putting was really good," he said.
"The final nine, I two putted everything. The putts started falling."
He finished with 30 putts for his round.
Teammate Camp Kenyon placed 10th overall, 83-75-158. The duo helped Whitefish, 329-296-625, win the team title. The Bulldogs finished four shots ahead of Hellgate.
Glacier, led by Logan Iverson, finished behind Hellgate and in third, 310-321-631. Iverson also came in third overall, 75-71-146.
"His best finish of the fall," Glacier coach Rob Logsdon said of Iverson.
"He played really well today.
"He hasn't played his best golf by any stretch yet," Logsdon added.
"He's very talented."
Also in the top 10 for the Wolfpack was Ryan Porch, 76-79-155. He placed seventh.
"He struggled today with his short game," Logsdon said of Porch.
"Overall, he's played really well."
Michael Lavin of Flathead, 78-76-154, tied for fifth.
It marked the second time Platke has earned medalist honors. He's finished second in the team's other two tournaments.
Teammate Kiley McConnell made it four-straight medalist titles this fall with an 18-stroke victory on Tuesday. McConnell, who shot 79 on Monday at Whitefish Lake, carded an 87 on Tuesday at Indian Springs for a 166 total.
Mari Wolverton of Missoula Sentinel, 94-90-184, was second.
The Whitefish girls, which led the field by 45 shots after Monday's action, did not field a full team on the final day. That knocked them out of team contention. Only three Bulldogs were on the course.
That opened the way for Polson to capture the team title, 798. Glacier finished second, 814.
Flathead's Andrea Battello, 98-91-189, finished third and Erin Tabish of Whitefish, 95-94-189, finished fourth.
Polson's Amy Williamson, 95-97-192 was fifth.
Flatfish Invitational
Tuesday
Boys
Whitefish Lake Golf Club
At Eureka
Team Totals
Whitefish 329-296-625, Missoula Hellgate 311-318-629, Glacier 310-321-631, Hamilton 326-321-647, Missoula Sentinel 323-328-651, Flathead 344-328-672, Missoula Big Sky 348-339-687, Polson 341-355-696, Stevensville 370-369-739, Libby 402-379-781
Top 10
Reed Platke, Whitefish 74-68-142
Colin Gunstream, Hellgate 71-72-143
Logan Iverson, Glacier 75-71-146
Brad Palin, Hamilton 784-75-149
Derek Colberg, Sentinel 79-75-154
Michael Lavin, Flathead 78-76-154
Ryan Porch, Glacier 76-79-155
Eli Rogers, Hamilton 78-79-157
Casey Diaz, Big Sky 81-76-157
Camp Kenyon, Whitefish 83-75-158
By Team
WHITEFISH (329-296-625) - Reed Platke 74-68-142, Arthur Doorn 82-80-162, Camp Kenyon 83-75-158, Dylan Parr 90-73-163, Iaian Cameron 96-94-190
HELLGATE (311-318-629) - Colin Gunstream 71-72-143, Anders Nord 80-84-164, Sebastian Robitaille 81-86-167, Evan Schultz 93-76-169, Pat Colberg 79-92-171
GLACIER (310-321-631) - Ryan Porch 76 -79-155, Logan Iverson 75-71-146, Andy Boyer 80-87-167, Tyson Howe 81-84-165, Kendrick Lee 79-97-176
HAMILTON (326-321-647) - Brad Palin 74-75-149, Tyle Jessop 86-84-170, Eli Rogers 79-78-157, Kyle Lubke 87-84-171, Dillon Francis 117-95-212 SENTINEL (323-328-651) - Derek Colberg 79-75-154, Alec Shull 83-82-165, Robbie Jacobsen 82-86-168, Rory Mill 83-85-168, Kyle White 79-93-172
FLATHEAD (344-328-672) - Michael Lavin 78-76-154, Max Applegate 90-84-174, Andrew Olson 87-82-169, Remington Barnes 91-86-177, Dylan Nelson 89-96-185
BIG SKY (348-339-687) - Casey Diaz 81-76-157; Hudson Ruiz 89-88-177, Stephen Schmidt 90-87-177, Aaron Koerner 88-88-176, Wyatt Smith 95-92-187
POLSON (341-355-696) - Cody Fischer 84-85-169, Hayden Congdon 77-84-161, Dakota Jenson 82-87-169, Logan Howell 104-99-203, Austin Von Tom 98-101-199
STEVENSVILLE (370-369-739) - Milan Plachy 82-78-160, Nigel McCallum 94-102-196, Blake Servoss 96-92-188, Clayton Rea 98-113-211, Corbin Disney 103-97-200
LIBBY (402-379-781) - Louis Cielak 95-82-177, Chris Campbell 99-95-194, Byron Benefield 98-97-195, Carson Whitmarsh 116-107-223,
Morgan Wilkins 110-105-215
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COLUMBIA FALLS (373-NS) - Parker Johnson 82-81-163, Jordan Mueller 95-NS, Nick Emerson 89-NS, Brian Marcille 107-NS
GLACIER JV (347-354-701) - Kevin Talcott 84-85-169, Cody Buck 89-89-178, Dillon Eaves 81-88-169, Austin Hide 101-94-195, Devin Myren 93-92-185
FLATHEAD JV (380-378-758) - Erik Karolak 95-95-190, Jake Williams 97-82-179, Joseph LoPresti 117-109-226, Ben Tanberg 97-92-189, Cory Felde 91-110-201
BROWNING (NS) - Ryan Hoyt 86-91-177, Frank Harrison 89-99-188, Jonathan Skunkcap 107-98-215
Girls
At Indian Springs Ranch Golf Club
Team Totals
Polson 798, Glacier 814, Missoula Hellgate 815, Flathead 841, Browning 943
Top 10
Kiley McConnell, Whitefish 79-87-166
Mari Wolverton, Sentinel 94-90-184
Andrea Battello, Flathead 98-91-189
Erin Tabish, Whitefish 95-94-189
Amy Williamson, Polson 95-97-192
Jackie Wells, Hellgate 100-93-193
Anna DiGiallonardo, Polson 96-97-193
Ashton Smith, Browning 103-92-195
Lindsey Christian, Hellgate 102-97-199
Shelby Ballard, Glacier 102-99-201
By Team
POLSON (400-398-798) - Amy Williamson 95-97-192, Anna DiGiallonardo 96-97-193, Jaylin Kenney 112-105-217, Makaliah Wilson 105-99-204, Kat Medlund 104-107-211
GLACIER (407-407--814) - Shelby Ballard 102-99-201, Shea Stevens 100-103-203, Kaydee Aurich 104-99-203, Hannah Davis 101-106-207, Terri Mattson 115-117-232
HELLGATE (415-400-815) - Jackie Wells 100-93-193, Katie Martens 103-99-202, Lyndsey Christian 102-97-199, Shaelea Gariepy 110-111-221
FLATHEAD (422-419-841) - Andrea Battello 98-91-189, Jourdan McFarland 102-101-203, Jaycee Rocha 111-108-219, Geneva Zoltek 111-119-230, Jessika Abbrescia 116-134-250
BROWNING (487-456-943) - Ashton Smith 103-92-195, Jessica Magee 118-107-225, Angie Ironpipe 124-118-242, Whitney Morris 142-139-281
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WHITEFISH (352) - Kylie McConnell 79-87-166, Danielle McCully 85, Erin Tabish 95-94-189, Emma Dowaliby 114, Klaire Taylor 93-111-204
COLUMBIA FALLS (463) - Michele Hagen 114, Courtney Tamburelli 112, Maggie Panusuk 130, Nika Ceratova 107
HAMILTON - Mashaela Conway 133-120-253, Emily Winters 122-111-233, Alyssa Heath 121-117-238
SENTINEL - Mari Wolverton 94-90-184, Gwen Lockman 119-108-227, Kate Hopkins 138-123-261
BIG SKY - Kaylin Brown 124-121-245
FLATHEAD JV (495-473-968) - Ellie Lapp 116-122-238, Courtney Diehl 120-122-242, Carly Diehl 128-122-250, Mackenzie Williams 131-117-248
GLACIER JV - Mallory Skinn 104-101-205, Karlee Omsburg 112-114-226, Whitley Newberry 124-132-256
WHITEFISH JV - Simone Craft 116
Note: Whitefish did not field a full team on the final day