Glacier girls on top in golf opener
MISSOULA - Not a bad way to open the Class AA high school golf season.
The Glacier girls, led by Shelby Ballard's 86, top the team standings after 18 holes of play Tuesday in the Missoula Invitational at Larchmont Golf Course.
Kaydee Aurich and Shea Stevens both shot 91 to give the Wolfpack three players in the top 10.
"All three of those (scores) are personal tournament bests," Glacier coach Rob Logsdon said for Ballard, Aurich and Stevens. "All five of our girls worked very hard this summer."
Glacier's total for the day was a solid 363, 21 shots better than runners-up Helena High and Missoula Sentinel.
Logsdon said Ballard had a consistent round.
"No big numbers," he said. "That's the big thing - no seven or eights. She struck the ball fairly well."
Ballard is sitting second in the medalist chase.
Mari Wolverton of Missoula Sentinel had the best round, carding a 78.
Lindsey Trent of Missoula Hellgate is third with an 87. Whitefish's Erin Tabish is tied with Kasey Hoerning of Capital for fourth. Both shot 89.
Aurich and Stevens are tied for sixth.
Overall, Logsdon said all the Wolfpack girls showed great improvement in their short game.
"They're not wasting shots around the green like in the past," he said.
"I'm not surprised, but I think it's a little bit of a relief for them," Logsdon said of his team leading.
"Last season they never put four good scores together on one day. Right away (this year), they do. Now the pressure is off. They know they can consistently do that."
Geneva Zohek had the best round for the Flathead girls with her 99.
The Bravettes are seventh, 416, in the team standings, two shots behind Whitefish.
In boys play, Reed Platke of Whitefish shot a 69 for a three-shot lead on Ryan Porch of Glacier.
Michael Lavin of Flathead and Cody Sherrill of Glacier both shot 78, which put them in a five-way tie for ninth place.
In the team standings, Hamilton shot 305 for a five-shot edge on Glacier. Whitefish is fourth, 312, two shots behind third-place Helena Capital.
Flathead is eighth.
Play winds up today at Canyon River Golf Club.
Flathead, Glacier and Whitefish will compete at the Great Falls Invitational on Monday (Great Falls Country Club) and Tuesday (Eagle Falls Golf Club.)
Missoula Invitational
At Larchmont Golf Course
Tuesday's Results
BOYS
Team Totals
Hamilton 305, Glacier 310, Helena Capital 312, Whitefish 314, Missoula Sentinel 315, Missoula Hellgate 320, Missoula Big Sky 326, Flathead 336, Helena High 351, Stevensville 382.
Top 10 individuals
Reed Platke, Whitefish 69
Ryan Porch, Glacier 72
Casey Diaz, Big Sky 73
Eli Rogers, Hamilton 73
Brad Palin, Hamilton 73
Dillon Schulz, Capital 74
Tyler Jessop, Hamilton 75
Derek Colberg, Sentinel 77
Bryson Smith, Capital 78
Brady Henthorn, Hellgate 78
Michael Lavin, Flathead 78
Logan Becker, Sentinel 78
Cody Sherrill, Glacier 78
Team Results
Hamilton (305) - Tyler Jessop 75, Eli Rogers 73, Brad Palin 73, Kyle Lubke 84.
Glacier (310) - Ryan Porch 72, Andy Boyer 79, Dillon Eaves 81, Cody Sherrill 78.
Capital (312) - Bryson Smith 78, Aiden Clark 80, Dillon Schulz 74, Dublin Sullivan 80.
Whitefish (314) - Reed Platke 69, Arthur Doorn 79, Camp Kenyon 82, Kyle Barron 84.
Sentinel (315) - Derek Colberg 77, Robbie Jacobsen 81, Logan Becker 78, Kyle White 79.
Hellgate (320) - Patrick Colberg 80, Alan Anderson 80, Brady Henthorn 78, Joey Warren 82.
Big Sky (326) - Casey Diaz 73, Cory Diaz 79, Steve Schmidt 82, Ryley Enich 92.
Flathead (336) - Michael Lavin 78, Max Applegate 83, Remington Barnes 85, Cory Felde 90.
Helena (351) - Spencer Petersen 88, Alex McHugh 82, Joe Ringling 85, Matt Krantz 96.
Stevensville (382) - Milan Plachy 89, Corbin Disney 89, Blake Servoss 101, James Enzler 103.
GIRLS
Team Totals
Glacier 363, Helena High 384, Missoula Sentinel 384, Helena Capital 391, Missoula Hellgate 409, Whitefish 414, Flathead 416, Missoula Big Sky 427.
Top 10 individuals
Mari Wolverton, Sentinel 78
Shelby Ballard, Glacier 86
Lindsey Trent, Hellgate 87
Erin Tabish, Whitefish 89
Kasey Hoerning, Capital 89
Kaydee Aurich, Glacier 91
Shea Stevens, Glacier 91
Darcy Ryan, Helena 93
Tori McHugh, Helena 94
Katelyn Cotner, Big Sky 94
Dani Prebil, Helena 94
Team Results
Glacier (363) - Kaydee Aurich 91, Shelby Ballard 86, Hannah Davis 95, Sher Stevens 91.
Helena (384) - Tori McHugh 94, Dani Prebil 94, Darcy Ryan 93, C. Grilushas 103.
Sentinel (384) - Mari Wolverton 78, Ashton Squires 103, Gwen Lockman 103, Kristin Lawson 100.
Capital (391) - Kasey Hoernig 89, Mariah Adsem 96, Kaitlyn Skoog 97, Ashley Pecora 109.
Hellgate (409) - Lindsey Trent 87, Katie Willis 108, Maddie Trent 104, Jenna Herrick 109.
Whitefish (414) - NA
Flathead (416) - Jordan McFarland 103, Mackenzie Williams 114, Morgan Knutson 100, Geneva Zohek 99.
Big Sky (427) - Jillian Walsh 96, Katelyn Cotner 94, Kalyn Brown 112, Abbey Hege 125.
Hamilton (NS) - Emily Winter 104, Mishaila Conway WD.