Johnston shoots 61 to lead State B

SHELBY — Libby sophomore Ryggs Johnston torched Marias Valley Golf Club on Tuesday, firing an 11-under-par 61 on the opening day of the Class B state golf tournament to start his title defense with style.

Johnston shot 32 on the back nine to open his round but golfed a 29 in, leaving the rest of the field behind. Huntley Project’s Colton Hudson, who trailed by just two strokes at the turn, is in second place at 3-under 69, eight strokes back.

Johnston, who won last season’s Class B title by breaking the all-class record for low score, could match his mark by shooting a 70 in today’s final round.

Libby is in a tie for eighth place as a team with Sebo Sanders carding a 95, Andrew Freese a 96 and Riley Vogel a 104.

Bigfork’s Colton Stodghill and Augie Emslie each shot an 83 in the first round and are in 14th place, Ronan’s James Farmer carded a 90.

Missoula Loyola leads Colstrip by five strokes for the team title.

Loyola-Sacred Heart’s Kylie Esh holds a commanding lead in the girls tournament, firing a 2-under-par 70 in the first round. She holds a 13-stroke lead over teammate Katie Fagg and Shelby’s Skyler Martin, who each shot 83.

Bigfork’s Isabella Santistevan is in a tie for sixth place, carding a first-round 88. The Valkyries are in a tie for fifth place as a team with Melissa Paulson carding a 102, Rachel Whitney 120, Carly Stodghill 108 and Hattie Emslie 128.

Eureka’s Darian Truman shot a 95 and Ronan’s Brooklyn Olson shot a 91.

Three Forks leads Loyola by three strokes for the team title.

Class B State Golf Tournament

Tuesday

Marias Valley Golf Club, Shelby

Par 72

First Round

BOYS

Team Scores — Missoula Loyola 323, Colstrip 328, Townsend 333, Big Timber 345, Shelby 348, Conrad 350, Manhattan 351, Huntley Project 356, Libby 356, Glasgow 361, Shepherd 362, Choteau 367

Individual Scores

Golfer School Score

Ryggs Johnston Libby 29-32—61

Colton Hudson Huntley Pjt 35-34—69

Bucky Crippen Msla Loyola 33-38—71

Peter Brown Colstrip 37-36—73

Bryce Mocabee Shepherd 42-34—76

Blake Finn Big Timber 40-37—77

Cale Ostrom Conrad 39-40—79

Scott DeMars Townsend 39-41—80

Bryan Swanson Msla Loyola 41-40—81

Cody Graveley Townsend 41-40—81

Josh Eckmann Jefferson 39-42—81

Thomas Sellman Msla Loyola 40-41—81

Trenton Durocher Choteau 41-41—82

Colton Stodghill Bigfork 43-40—83

Josh Neth Manhattan 41-42—83

Jaden Graveley Townsend 43-40—83

Jayce Griffith Roundup 46-37—83

Augie Emslie Bigfork 42-41—83

Chad Nebel Shepherd 44-39—83

Kyle Vandenacre Conrad 42-41—83

Nate McCormack Manhattan 43-40—83

Hunter Boos Red Lodge 39-44­—83

Lane Bradley Colstrip 41-43—84

Dylan Beckman Tmpsn Falls 45-39—84

Brock Whitted Shelby 46-38—84

Cliff Weller Big Timber 42-43—85

O’shon Old Mouse Colstrip 45-40—85

TJ Reynolds Shelby 43-43—86

Ty Bradley Colstrip 42-44—86

Chris Arkinson Rocky Boy 48-38—86

Steven Cantalupo Manhattan 44-44—88

Easton Hatfield Townsend 45-44—89

Jarod Anderson Shelby 40-49—89

Tucker Kane Red Lodge 45-44—89

Aaron White Shelby 45-44—89

Ike Braaten Glasgow 44-45—89

James Farmer Ronan 46-44—90

Kyler Crabtree Choteau 49-41—90

Macager McAllistr Shelby 44-46—90

Dylan Beck Msla Loyola 47-43—90

Cody Ross Glasgow 49-41—90

Blaine Myrick Glasgow 47-43—90

Carter Brownlee Big Timber 45-46—91

Damon Sadler Poplar 48-44—92

Jordan O’Dell Choteau 42-50—92

Caleb Patton Big Timber 45-47—92

Kaden Fossum Glasgow 46-46—92

Sean Kaleva Msla Loyola 46-46—92

Bridger Russell Conrad 45-49—94

Blake Vandenacre Conrad 48-46—94

Brett Williams Townsend 46-48—94

Sebo Sanders Libby 52-43—95

Wyatt Selman Huntley Pjt 46-49—95

Nolan Taule Conrad 47-48—95

Tanner Geiss Huntley Pjt 50-45—95

Andrew Freese Libby 50-46—96

Trent Saunders Shepherd 50-46—96

Brandon Schwers Big Timber 49-47—96

Chad Geck Huntley Pjt 48-49—97

Nathan Van Dyke Manhattan 48-49—97

Oden Hallock Glasgow 50-48—98

Dylan Shults Manhattan 55-48—103

Garrett Depner Choteau 52-51—103

Riley Vogel Libby 55-49—104

Dallas Mittlestadt Shepherd 61-46—107

JT Baer Colstrip 55-53—108

Tanner Steorts Huntley Pjt 54-58—112

Kadon Gentilini Baker 56-57—113

Ashton Jorgenson Shepherd 64-52—116

Kolby Kovatch Choteau 64-66—130

GIRLS

Team Scores — Three Forks 363, Missoula Loyla 366, Shelby 379, Columbus 407, Bigfork 418, Thompson Falls 418, Poplar 419, Big Timber 448, Glasgow 453, Huntley Project 467, Cut Bank 517

Individual Scores

Golfer School Score

Kylie Esh Msla Loyola 36-34—70

Skyler Martin Shelby 43-40—83

Katie Fagg Msla Loyola 41-42—83

Tanna Campbell Big Timber 39-45—84

Sydney Rochford Three Forks 41-44—85

Megan Vndenacre Conrad 50-38—88

Isabella Sntistevan Bigfork 47-41—88

Bailey Johannes Columbus 45-44—89

Abbey Aklestad Shelby 48-42—90

Katie Bieler Choteau 49-41—90

Olivia Hess Columbus 47-43—90

Elsie Brown Tmpsn Falls 47-44—91

Shainy Mack Three Forks 45-46—91

Brooklyn Olson Ronan 47-44—91

Makayla Rowan Three Forks 47-46—93

Isadora Tomazeli Msla Loyola 47-46—93

Brennan Larson Roundup 47-46—93

Hailey Brunelle Poplar 51-42—93

Brittney Robinson Three Forks 42-52—94

Darian Truman Eureka 49-46—95

Megan Slagter Baker 48-47—95

Katie Friez Forsyth 48-48—96

Julia Vanicek Tmpsn Falls 48-49—97

Taylor Jones Three Forks 52-47—99

Jessica Bronner Tmpsn Falls 52-47—99

Mia Frederick Poplar 47-55—102

Melissa Paulsen Bigfork 51-51—102

Kendall Anderson Shelby 50-53—103

Bailey Johnson Shelby 52-51—103

Andi Crane Huntley Pjt 56-49—105

Morgan Nunn Townsend 53-53—106

Maddy Hellinger Shelby 55-53—108

Carly Stodghill Bigfork 53-55—108

Baylee Gordon Columbus 55-53—108

Madilyn Emter Big Timber 53-56—109

Lyndsey Young Poplar 54-56—110

Lexi Pehlke Glasgow 54-56—110

Heidi Moon Glasgow 58-55—113

Taylor Palm Glasgow 61-53—114

Sammy Brunelle Poplar 59-55—114

Jessika Harman Huntley Pjt 56-59—115

Kate Murack Conrad 59-57—116

Fallon Larsen Glasgow 55-61—116

Tyler Matt Cut Bank 60-56—116

Jordan Huffman Msla Loyola 57-63—120

Karsen Marjerison Columbus 60-60—120

Rachel Whitney Bigfork 60-60—120

Jordan Whitford Cut Bank 57-63—120

J. Two Moons Lame Deer 65-56—121

Payton Tigner Huntley Pjt 60-62—122

Emily Ley Huntley Pjt 66-59—125

Rylee Wittrock Big Timber 62-64—126

T. Still Smoking Cut Bank 59-68—127

Kamryn Azure Poplar 66-61—127

Hattie Emslie Bigfork 60-68—128

Marissa Morgan Big Timber 58-71—129

Maggie Riddell Tmpsn Falls 65-66—131

Chloe Ketchum Columbus 64-67—131

Ashton Albrecht Huntley Pjt 75-57—132

Ashton Libel Msla Loyola 70-63—133

Kloie Marks Malta 64-77—141

Holli Kovatch Big Timber 76-72—148

Ashley McLean Cut Bank 76-78—154