Bulldogs eye trophies, medals in state golf

Individual and team honors are within reach for the Whitefish High School golf programs this weekend at the Class A state tournament in Hamilton.

Three individual WHS players are legitimate medalists - senior Reed Platke and sophomores Erin Tabish and Arthur Doorn - while team-wise, both the boys and girls should contend for top three finishes and a trophy.

Platke won state his sophomore season and has been the runner-up twice, each time by one stroke.

Doorn won two events recently, including divisional.

Doorn competed at state last year.

"Both have a shot at the state title this season," Whitefish coach Terry Nelson said of his two leading boys.

"They are both that good."

Same goes for Tabish.

"She has a legitimate shot," he said.

"Looking at the divisionals across the state, only one girl had a better score."

Senior Klaire Taylor, sophomore Simone Craft, junior Hayley Craven and Malia Morris round out Whitefish's state roster.

Play begins 10 a.m. today and Saturday at the Hamilton Golf Club. Par is 72 for boys (6,553 yards) and girls (5,721).

The Whitefish boys have one more returning state player in senior Camp Kenyon.

Senior Kyle Barrons and junior Iaian Cameron complete Whitefish's state roster.

"Hamilton, having it at their course, they're awfully good," Nelson said.

"They had a good score a divisional, they are the team to beat.

"Obviously, we have a shot at it," Nelson added.

Belgrade and Sidney will also be in the trophy hunt for boys, Nelson said.

"We've had a pretty good fall," he said.

"We showed we're getting better and better. That's what we're trying to do. We've had a really good season."

The Whitefish boys finished fourth at state last year.

The Whitefish girls were third last year.

Hamilton's boys and the girls from Billings Central won state titles last fall.

The Polson girls and Libby boys will field full teams for state.

Columbia Falls will have five individuals on the course - Parker Johnson and Brian Marcille for the boys and McKenna Emmerich, Maggie Panasuk and Morgan Love for the girls.