GOLF: Whitefish girls top tough field in Missoula

MISSOULA — Twin sisters Holly and Hayley Hileman both finished in the top five and the Whitefish girls bested a field full of Class AA schools to win the Missoula County Invitational tournament that concluded Tuesday at Canyon River Golf Club.

The defending Class A state champion Bulldogs posted a team score of 777, holding off Missoula Sentinel (779) to remain atop the leaderboard on a challenging second day. Whitefish’s first day team total of 377 was one shot better than the Spartans.

“The course was in gorgeous shape, it was absolutely perfect,” Whitefish coach Bill Kahle said. “All of our kids commented on how great it was to play [at Canyon River]. It was difficult but fair.

“We appreciate being in this tournament very much,” he continued. “It lets us see how some of the bigger schools compete. They’re very gracious to have us there and we are very, very happy with the way the kids played.”

Holly Hileman finished second with a 179, carding a 90 at Canyon River after shooting an 89 Monday at Missoula Country Club. Her sister, Hayley, was fifth, compiling two-day total of 184. Sentinel’s Sara Michell won the tournament at 177.

Whitefish junior Gracie Young (195) was ninth, giving the Bulldogs more top-10 finishers than any other school.

“I was very impressed with the way all of our girls played,” Whitefish coach Bill Kahle said. “The Hileman twins are anchors of the team and we have some great young talent that came through to put us across the finish line.”

Young was playing in her first tournament at the varsity level, as was freshman Megan Archibald, who was the fifth scoring golfer for Whitefish at 224.

Whitefish’s girls also won the team title at the Northwest A Kickoff tournament last week at Whitefish Lake Golf Club.

Glacier’s McKenna Tinseth (185) finished sixth and Flathead’s Becca Knutson (197) was 10th. The Wolfpack girls were third and the Bravettes fourth out of five scoring teams.

On the boys side, Sentinel ran away with the team title behind the top two individuals in Jack Johnston (148) and Sean Ramsbacher (151).

Polson’s Carson McDaniel shot a blistering 74 on Tuesday, tied for the lowest round of the day, to move into third and lead the Pirates to a third place finish.

AJ Grande of Glacier matched McDaniel on both days, firing a 74 at Canyon River and carding a two-day total of 153 to finish tied for third with the Polson junior. Glacier placed fourth out of eight scoring teams.

Whitefish’s Brendan Buls and Flathead’s Rielly Manger totaled 162 to finish tied for 10th.

Missoula County Invitational

Monday (Round 1) at Missoula Country Club

Tuesday (Round 2) at Canyon River Golf Club

BOYS

Team results — 1, Missoula Sentinel 308-311-619; 2, Hamilton 324-321-645; 3, Polson 331-338-669; 4, Glacier 348-335-685; 5, Missoula Hellgate 350-348-698; 6, Flathead 355-346-701; 7, Missoula Big Sky 363-357-720; 8, Whitefish 391-437-828; Stevensville [no team score].

Top 10 individuals — 1, Jack Johnston, MSN, 73-75-148; 2, Sean Ramsbacher, MSN, 75-76-151; t-3, Carson McDaniel, POL, 79-74-153; t-3 AJ Grande, GLA, 79-74-153; t-5, Max Toenjes, HAM, 74-80-154; t-5 Tristan Hansen, HAM, 77-77-154; t-7 Blake Hasquet, MSN, 80-80-160; t-7 Shawn Ryan, MSN, 80-80-160; t-7 River Duce, MHG, 80-80-160; t-10 Rielly Manger, FLT, 80-82-162; t-10 Brendan Buls, WTF, 79-83-162.

Team scores

Sentinel — Johnston 73-75-148, Ramsbacher 75-76-151, Hasquet 80-80-160, Ryan 80-80-160, Avery Nolan 43-46-89.

Hamilton — Toenjes 74-80-154, Hansen 77-77-154, Blaine Wetzsteon 85-83-168, Ky Burch 88-8, Bryce Reed 92-97-189.

Polson — McDaniel 79-74-153, Matt Hobbs 84-82-166, Trey Kelley 78-88-166, Colin Kenney 92-94-186, Noah McDonald 90-97-187.

Glacier — Grande 79-74-153, Brayden Aurich 80-84-164, Zach Stotts 97-85-182, Brandon Olsen 94-92-186, Hunter Berke 95-100-195.

Hellgate — Duce 80-80-160, Ryan Domako 89-92-181, Ben Huguet 89-89-178, Soren Rasmussen 94-87-181, Kade McCulloch 92-95-187.

Flathead — Manger 80-82-162, Nick Weaver 90-82-172, Sam Elliott 97-88-185, Noah Love 92-94-186, Ben Walseth 93-96-189.

Big Sky — Zach Harvey 85-88 173, Hank Mesenko 87-87-174, Blake Heintzelman 92-91-183, Ryan Harvey 99-91-190, John Biggart 109-106-215.

Whitefish — Brendan Buls 79-83-162, Jeff Hyer 101-123-224, Grant Kahle 105-106-211, Erik Miller 106-125-231.

Stevensville — Zel Frost 82-81-163, Ivan Yazvac 98-92-190.

GIRLS

Team results — 1, Whitefish 377-400-777; 2, Missoula Sentinel 378-401-779; 3, Glacier 411-413-824; 4, Flathead 413-419-832; 5, Missoula Hellgate 419-430-849; Missoula Big Sky, Polson, Hamilton [no team scores].

Top 10 individuals — 1, Sara Michell, MSN, 89-88-177; 2, Holly Hileman, WTF, 89-90-179; 3, Sydnee Nowlen, MSN, 85-97-182; 4, Emily Garden, MHG, 89-94-183; 5, Hayley Hileman, WTF, 91-93-184; 6, McKenna Tinseth, GLA, 98-87-185; 7, Sev Armstrong, MHG, 91-95-186; 8, Samantha Mathis, MBS, 90-98-188; 9, Gracie Young, WTF, 91-104-195; 10, Becca Knutson, FLT, 96-101-197.

Team scores

Whitefish — Holly Hileman 89-90-179, Hayley Hileman 91-93-184, Young 91-104-195, Paige Sproul 106-113-219, Megan Archibald 111-113-224.

Sentinel — Michell 89-88-177, Nowlen 85-97-182, Halle Nurse 99-107-206, Marissa Breum 107-109-216, Raela Reinhart 105-111-216.

Glacier — Tinseth 98-87-185, Gabi Mammana 99-100- 199, Katy Trunkle 100-105-205, Aly Meeker 114-121-235, Reide Barkus 124-128-252.

Flathead — Knutson 96-101-197, Maddie Huestis 103-102-205, Katie Stobie 113-111-224, Ava Munzing 101-105-206, Cassiday Lavin 114-112-226.

Hellgate — Garden 89-94-183, Armstrong 91-95-186, Emily Gmeiner 111-98-209, Katelyn Sly 128-143-271.

Polson — Amanda Farley 109-109-218, Cali Cannon 123-115-238, Esme Yarbrough 127-143-270.

Big Sky — Mathis 90-98-188, Danielle Buchanan 118-120-238, Madelyn Morris 121-121-242.

Hamilton — Liz Roberts 121-110-231, Kelci martin 123-120-243, Olivia Walker 136-144-280.