State A golf: Polson girls aim for 3 in row

The Polson girls are looking for their third-straight state championship, this time in their own backyard, as the Class A state golf tournament tees of today at the 18-hole course at Polson Bay Golf Club.

The Pirates handily won the last two seasons and return four golfers from the team that won in Anaconda last year. Jaylin Kenney finished third last season and teammates Nicole Clairmont and Peyton Anderson finished in the top 10. Each is staring down a shot to add an individual title to the stack of team trophies they’ve collected.

Unlike last year, Polson has real competition for the crown. Whitefish beat the Pirates at the Northwestern A Invitational last week in Whitefish, then again the next day to close the Flatfish Invite in Kalispell. The Bulldogs are a deep team, led by last season’s runner up Erin Tabish. Malia Morris, Katie Fyall, Simone Craft and Georgia Donaldson also are golfing well for Whitefish.

“If our girls are on, we could prevail; if Whitefish’s are on, they could prevail,” Polson coach Bill Owen said. “Of course having that course knowledge should help us. As long as we stay grounded, stay focused.”

Defending state champion Christal Tokash of Livingston also returns to a stacked field that includes each of the top three finishers from last season.

“It’s really going to be a battle for both the individual and the team spots,” Whitefish coach Tim Olson said.

The boys side also looks to be close, with two strokes separating the top seven golfers a season ago. Four of the top five return, including Whitefish’s Art Doorn, who won his third divisional title last week.

“My confidence level is probably the highest it’s ever been,” Doorn said. “I’m feeling really good about all aspects of my game. It just comes down to who can go the lowest for both rounds.”

Doorn made a swing change in the early summer to add distance and accuracy to his game. He said everything finally feels like it’s starting to click.

“I’m really looking forward to this weekend,” Doorn said. “I’ve made so many improvements in my game. I’m really looking forward to having everything piece together.”

He’ll have his hands full this weekend. Sidney’s Bobby Frank, the defending state champion, and Paul Brannan, who finished tied for second, are back to take another swing at a title. Anaconda’s Caleb Stetzner, another one of the four golfers that tied for second last season, also is expected to compete for the individual medal.

“The Polson course is super challenging. I’m expecting the winner to go really low,” Doorn said. “That’s a course you can definitely put some low numbers up on.”

The Whitefish team, easy winners at last week’s divisional, is expected to be in the mix for the team title with the aforementioned Sidney, which is buoyed by its star pairing.

Whitefish’s Mitch Young and Joey Walp each placed in the top four at divisional and Cooper Donahue and Cody Olson return from last season’s state team, which finished second.

“It’s going to be a battle,” Olson said. “Our kids have really developed throughout the year ... I’m really expecting good things from all five of the kids.”

The tournament tees off at 9 a.m. today. The tournament concludes on Saturday.