Golf: Flatfish offers tune-up prior to state tourney
Ten teams tee off today in the Flatfish golf tournament, the last test before the state tournament for the areas golfers.
The tournament is a state warmup for the four Class AA teams in attendance, and even more important for the Class A teams, with today’s round in Whitefish serving as the Northwestern A divisional. Play opens this morning on the South Course at Whitefish Lake Golf Club and concludes Friday at Village Greens.
Whitefish enters the divisional as one of the top teams in Class A, with deep teams on both the boys and girls sides led by Art Doorn and Erin Tabish. Polson’s teams expect to give the Bulldogs a run after a successful last few weeks led on the girls side by Jaylin Kenney. Libby’s Morgan Wilkins and Columbia Falls’ Gabe Love will make a run at the boys’ individual titles.
Great Falls C.M. Russell and Great Falls High will make the trip through the mountains to join Flathead and Glacier as Class AA teams at the meet.
Flathead, which has had success with a young team this season, will be using this week as a momentum boost for the state tournament, which starts Monday in Missoula.
“We’ve got a little bit of a home course advantage on Friday,” Flathead coach Jess Roper said of Village Greens, the practice course for the Braves and Bravettes. “It will be interesting to see what happens on the South Course tommorow. We’re still trying to figure out who’s going to be our fourth and fifth man (on the boys team for the state tournament). The girls are looking pretty good. The boys have some work to do.”
The Braves have been golfing well, led by Ryan Keenan, Jacob Welch and Joseph Potkonjak.
They’ll look to keep pace with a deep Glacier squad that is peaking as it looks to defend its state title from last season. As many as six Wolfpack golfers have carried the torch for the boys team this season.
“They’re doing very well,” Glacier coach Jim Schaible said “The scores are starting to come back. They’re playing more of the form of golf we’re looking for at state.”
The Glacier girls are a young squad with just one senior in the varsity five. Their younger girls are talented though, led by sophomore Teigan Avery, who will be in contention for the individual title at both state and the Flatfish.
Flathead’s Jenna Jensen leads an equally strong group on the other side.
“I would like to see them score a decent round so they can gain some confidence here,” Schaible said. “If they can at least stay in their average comfort zone, if they can stay in that zone, it’s a good way to start and get ready for state. If they beat their average it’s even better.”