Golf: Bohne, Stodghill qualify for state
BIGFORK — A pair of local golfers played their way into the state tournament on Tuesday at the Class B Division 3 tournament at Eagle Bend Golf Club.
Eureka’s Chase Bohne opened his round with a 42 on the front nine and closed shooting 46 on the way in to tie for 10th in the division with an 88. Bigfork’s Colton Stodghill shot a 39 on his way out only to fall back to the pack with a 50 on the back nine to tie for 12th with an 89. The top 15 golfers qualify for the state tournament May 20-21 at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort.
The play at the top was dominated by familiar names in the individual and team battles.
Missoula Loyola Sacred Heart’s Sadie Crippen won her second straight individual title, shooting a 79 to top Townsend’s Bailee Dexter and Anna DeMars by three strokes. Crippen, who won with an identical round last season, shot a 40 on the back nine to separate herself from DeMars and take home the divisional medal.
With all four scoring girls placing in the top eight, the Townsend girls easily captured the team title. The defending-state champion Bulldogs also placed Lynzee Dexter fifth and Madison Robischon eighth to record a team score of 461. Loyola was second with 514. Big Timber and Three Forks rounded out the top four to qualify teams for state.
No local girls made the cut for the state tournament, Bigfork’s Stevi Siloti shooting 119 to finish 24th and Maddie Lorang 26th with a 120. Kali Meagher was 32nd with a round of 138.
The Loyola boys edged Thompson Falls on a tiebreaker for the divisional team title, each school shooting a combined 341.
Thompson Falls thrust itself into the conversation for the state title with fantastic play by its top golfers. Caleb Bates shot a 37 on the back nine to catapult himself from two shots back at the turn to a tournament championship, closing with a 75 to edge Loyola’s Tommy Tirrell by a stroke. Dalton Hooton shot a 79 to finish fourth and Greg Wadsworth a 90 to tie for 15th, one of three schools to qualify three individuals. Their fourth golfer, William Gallivan, tied for 28th.
Tirrell led the Rams contingent, with Jared Geer placing third with a 78 and Bryan Swanson 15th with a 90. Michael Hoffman also finished tied for 28th.
Bigfork’s Ryder Trent finished one stroke shy of qualifying for state, carding a 91 to tie for 17th. Jon Landon tied for 46th with a 106, Kyler Oster shot a 124 to end 56th and Jacob Haberlock a 132 to finish 58th.
Eureka’s Poly Linnell shot a 96 to finish 27th, Trey Bohne a 106 to tie for 46th and Simon Lindgren a 109 to end 52nd.
Division 3 Golf Tournament
at Eagle Bend Golf Course, Bigfork
Girls
Team Scores — Townsend 461, Loyola Sacred Heart 514, Big Timber 537, Three Forks 545, Ronan 583.
Top 15 — Sadie Crippen, Loyola, 79; Bailee Dexter, Townsend, 82, Anna DeMars, Townsend, 82; Tanna Campbell, Big Timber, 87; Lynzee Dexter, Townsend, 88; Brooke Bezanson, Loyola, 91; Taryn Campbell, Big Timber, 91; Madison Robischon, Townsend, 93; Julia Downing, Loyola, 104; Macaul Bartruff, Three Forks, 105; Sidney Rochford, Three Forks, 105; Jade LaDeaux, Plains, 107; Abi Venzor, Three Forks, 108; Mariah Marquez, Three Forks, 110; Carston Rhine, Ronan, 111; Megan Emter, Big Timber, 111.
Boys
Team Scores — Loyola Sacred Heart 341, Thompson Falls 341, Deer Lodge 357, Townsend 362, Boulder 371, Manhattan 373, Big Timber 376, Three Forks 380, Ronan 394, Eureka 397, Bigfork 410, Plains 465.
Top 15 — Caleb Bates, Thompson Falls, 75; Tommy Tirrell, Loyola, 76; Jared Geer, Loyola, 78; Dalton Hooton, Thompson Falls, 79; Billy Miller, Big Timber, 80; Joey Peter, Manhattan, 80; Jaden Graveley, Townsend, 83; Keagan Lindsoe, Three Forks, 84; AJ Eckman, Boulder, 85; Tristen Clark, Deer Lodge, 88; Chase Bohne, Eureka, 88; Colton Stodgehill, Bigfork, 89; KC Smith, Deer Lodge, 89; Andrew Pierson, Deer Lodge, 89; Bryan Swanson, Loyola, 90; Greg Wadsworth, Thompson Falls, 90.