Chase begins for medalist, team titles in Class B state golf

Manhattan’s Joey Peters is back, last year’s individual state champion, along with Bigfork’s Joseph Potkonjak, who tied for second and was four shots off the pace at the Class B state boys golf tournament.

Throw in freshman sensation Ryggs Johnston of Libby, who won the state qualifier Division 3 tournament last week in Anaconda, and Caleb Stetzner of Anaconda, who was the Class A state medalist for the Copperheads in the fall of 2014, and the boys field is top heavy with talent for this week’s event.

“A lot of really good players in the field,” Libby coach Dann Rohrer said.

“Some of the finest in the state are here. A lot of them will be playing together. They know each other from other tournaments.”

The action starts today with the boys at Pryor Creek on the John Walker Course in Huntley and the girls at Eaglerock Golf Course in Billings, also the sites for last year’s state tournament. The boys and girls will play all 36 holes on the same course, starting at 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., respectively, each day.

The Thompson Falls boys and Missoula Loyola girls are defending team champions.

Last year’s medalist for girls — Sadie Crippen — has graduated along with teammate and third-place finisher Brooke Bazanson.

Stetzner, a senior, finished second behind Johnston at the Division 3 outing.

Johnston has won five events this spring.

“He’s really playing well now,” Rohrer said of Johnston.

“Both Jonny (Cielak) and Ryggs are playing well at the right time.”

Cielak has two event wins this season, and for that reason, should be listed with the others as a legitimate challenger.

“He hits the ball so well,” Rohrer said of Johnston.

“It’s pretty open (Pryor Creek), not an extremely long golf course. He probably wishes it was a lot longer as that works to his advantage. But it’s a very nice course.”

Rohrer said the boys and girls had a chance to get up close and personal with both courses on Monday, but added “it was a little windy for the Libby boys.”

“We don’t play a lot of 36 hole tournaments,” Rohrer stressed.

“So it will come down to whoever stays in it every shot. If something good or bad happens, it doesn’t matter. You can’t let it affect your game. You have to play every shot through.”

For the girls, Sydney Rockford of Three Forks, the Division 3 medalist, makes another state appearance. She slipped into the top 15 last year at state by two strokes.

Lynzee Dexter of Townsend, who placed fifth at state last year, returns along with Tanna Campbell of Big Timber, who was sixth.

The Class C state golf tournament, also a 36-hole event, begins today at Hamilton Golf Club.

The Seeley-Swan boys and Sunburst girls claimed team titles in 2015.