Johnston claims state golf by 14 strokes
SHELBY — Libby sophomore Ryggs Johnston fired 5-under-par 67 in the final round at the Class B state golf tournament to easily defend his title from last season and set a new all-class record for low 36-hole score, finishing at 16-under-par 128.
Johnston shot a 34 on the front nine and a 33 on the back to win the tournament by 14 strokes over Missoula Loyola sophomore Bucky Crippen, who finished at 2-under 142 by carding 71 in both rounds. Huntley Project’s Colton Hudson, who started the day eight strokes back in second place, finished third at 1-under 143.
Johnston had set the all-class record last season at Pryor Creek Golf Club in Huntley, a par-71 course, carding an 11-under 131. He now has the two lowest scores in state and Class B history.
Johnston joins a list of 31 other players to have won at least two state championships, including Glacier’s Larry Iverson (2007-08), Whitefish’s Drew Krause (2001-02), Flathead’s Marlin Hanson (1966-67) and Whitefish’s Don Welch (1949, 1951).
Johnston will have a chance at a third state title when Libby moves up to Class A in the fall.
Libby finished eighth as a team, closing with a mark of 711. Andrew Freese carded a 189 and Sebo Sanders and Riley Vogel each shot 197.
Bigfork’s Colton Stodghill garnered all-state honors by finishing 14th after carding a 162 and Augie Emslie finished three strokes shy of the top 15, with a 166.
Loyola (642) topped Townsend (645) by three strokes to score its first team title since 2013.
Three Forks won its second straight girls state title, pulling away from host Shelby to win by 27 strokes. The Wolves top four scorers finished inside the top 18 golfers.
Loyola took the top two spots, with Kylie Esh earning medalist honors with a final round 76, finishing at 2-over-par 146 to win the tournament by 13 strokes. It is the second-lowest score in Class B history, falling behind only former Breakers star Maggie Crippen, who set the mark at 143 in 2010.
Ronan’s Brooklyn Olson tied for 11th after carding 183 and Bigfork’s Isabella Santistevan was 13th with a 184, both earning all-state honors. The Valkyries were fifth as a team, with Melissa Paulson shooting 203, Carly Stodghill 223, Rachel Whitney 235 and Hattie Emslie 256.
Class B State Golf Tournament
Thursday Marias Valley Golf Club, Shelby
Par 72
Second Round
BOYS
Team Scores — Missoula Loyola 642, Townsend 645, Colstrip 646, Shelby 671, Big Timber 687, Manhattan 693, Conrad 701, Libby 711, Shepherd 718, Huntley Project 720, Glasgow 734, Choteau 756.
Top 15 Individuals — 1, Ryggs Johnston, Libby, 61-67—128; 2, Bucky Crippen, Missoula Loyola, 71-71—142; 3, Colton Hudson, Huntley Project, 69-74—143; 4, Peter Brown, Colstrip, 73-73—146; 5, Bryce Mocabee, Shepherd, 76-73—149; 6, Scott DeMars, Townsend, 80-72—152; 7, Blake Finn, Big Timber, 77-76—153; 8, Jaden Graveley, Townsend, 83-73—156; T9, Cody Graveley, Townsend, 81-79—160; T9, Thomas Sellman, Missoula Loyola, 81-79—160; T9, Jayce Griffith, Roundup, 83-77—160; T12, Nathan McCormick, Manhattan, 83-78—161; T12, Dylan Beckman, Thompson Falls, 84-77—161; 14, Colton Stodghill, Bigfork, 83-79—162; T15, Lane Bradley, Colstrip, 84-79—163; T15, Brock Whitted, Shelby, 84-79—163.
By Team
LOYOLA (642) — Bucky Crippen 71-71—142, Thomas Sellman 81-79—160, Bryan Swanson 81-89—170, Dylan Beck 90-85—175, Sean Kaleva 92-84—176.
TOWNSEND (645) — Scott DeMars 80-72—152, Jaden Graveley 83-73—156, Cody Graveley 81-79—160, Easton Hatfield 89-88—177, Brett Williams 94-91—185
COLSTRIP (646) — Peter Brown 73-73—146, Lane Bradley 84-79—163, O’shon Old Mouse 85-81—166, Ty Bradley 86-85—171, JT Baer 108-102—210
SHELBY (671) — Brock Whitted 84-79—163, TJ Reynolds 86-80—166, Aaron White 89-77—166, Macager McAllister 90-87—177, Jarod Anderson 89-90—179
BIG TIMBER (687) — Blake Finn 77-76—153, Cliff Weller 85-84—169, Carter Brownlee 91-87—178, Caleb Patton 92-99—191, Brandon Schwers 96-95—191
MANHATTAN (693) — Nathan McCormack 83-78—161, Josh Neth 83-83—166, Steven Cantalupo 88-88—176, Nathan Van Dyke 97-93—190, Dylan Shults 103-93—196
CONRAD (701) — Cale Ostrom 79-89—168, Kyle Vandenacre 83-86—169, Blake Vandenacre 94-84—178, Nolan Taule 95-92—187, Bridger Russell 94-100—194
LIBBY (711) — Ryggs Johnston 61-67—128, Andrew Freese 96-93—189, Sebo Sanders 95-102—197, Riley Vogel 104-93—197
SHEPHERD (718) — Bryce Mocabee 76-73—149, Chad Nebel 83-88—171, Trent Saunders 96-98—194, Dallas Mittlestadt 107-97—204, Ashton Jorgenson 116-109—225
HUNTLEY PROJECT (720) — Colton Hudson 69-74—143, Chad Geck 97-85—182, Wyatt Selman 95-102—197, Tanner Geiss 95-103—198, Tanner Steorts 112-124—236
GLASGOW (734) — Blaine Myrick 90-89—179, Ike Braaten 89-93—182, Kaden Fossum 92-95—187, Oden Hallock 98-96—194, Cody Ross 90-107—197
CHOTEAU (756) —Trenton Durocher 82-91—173, Jordan O’Dell 92-94—186, Kyler Crabtree 90-97—187, Garrett Depner 103-107—210, Kolby Kovatch 130-119—249
BIGFORK (NS) — Colton Stodghill 83-79—161, Augie Emslie 83-83—166
RED LODGE (NS) — Tucker Kane 89-88—177, Hunter Boos 83-99—182
ROUNDUP (NS) — Jayce Griffith 83-77—160
THOMPSON FALLS (NS) — Dylan Beckman 84-77—161
ROCKY BOY (NS) — Chris Arkinson 86-79—165
POPLAR (NS) — Damon Sadler 92-85—177
RONAN (NS) — James Farmer 90-89—179
BAKER (NS) — Kadon Gentilini 113-95—208
JEFFERSON (NS) — Josh Eckmann 81-WD—WD
GIRLS
Team Scores — Three Forks 714, Shelby 741, Missoula Loyola 751, Columbus 814, Bigfork 845, Poplar 856, Thompson Falls 858, Big Timber 874, Glasgow 899, Huntley Project 944.
Individual Top 15 — 1, Kylie Esh, Missoula Loyola, 70-76—146; 2, Katie Fagg, Missoula Loyola, 83-76—159; 3, Skyler Martin, Shelby, 83-77—160; 4, Tanna Campbell, Big Timber, 84-79—163; 5, Sydney Rochford, Three Forks, 85-79—164; 6, Shainy Mack, Three Forks, 91-81—172; 7, Abbey Aklestad, Shelby, 90-88—178; T8, Megan Vandenacre, Conrad, 88-91—179; T8, Olivia Hess, Columbus, 90-89—179; 10, Elsie Brown, Thompson Falls, 91-89—180; T11, Brooklyn Olson, Ronan, 91-92—183; T11, Katie Friez, Forsyth, 96-87—183; 13, Isabella Santistevan, Bigfork, 88-96—184; 14, Megan Slagter, Baker, 95-90—185; T15, Katie Bieler, Choteau, 90-97—187; T15, Brittney Robinson, Three Forks, 94-93—187.
By Team
THREE FORKS (714) — Sydney Rochford 85-79—164, Shainy Mack 91-81—172, Brittney Robinson 94-93—187, Makayla Rowan 93-100—193, Taylor Jones 99-98—197
SHELBY (741) — Skyler Martin 83-77—160, Abbey Aklestad 90-88—178, Kendall Anderson 103-95—198, Maddy Hellinger 108-102—210, Bailey Johnson 103-111—214
MISSOULA LOYOLA (751) — Kylie Esh 70-76—146, Katie Fagg 83-76—159, Jordan Huffman 120-117—237, Ashton Libel 133-122—255, Isadora Tomazeli 93-0—DQ
COLUMBUS (814) — Olivia Hess 90-89—179, Bailey Johannes 89-99—188, Karsen Marjerison 120-102—222, Baylee Gordon 108-117—225, Chloe Ketchum 131-139—270
BIGFORK (845) — Isabella Santistevan 88-96—184, Melissa Paulsen 102-101—203, Carly Stodghill 108-115—223, Rachel Whitney 120-115—235, Hattie Emslie 128-128—256
POPLAR (856) — Hailey Brunelle 93-105—198, Mia Frederick 102-113—215, Lyndsey Young 110-105—215, Sammy Brunelle 114-114—228, Kamryn Azure 127-132—259
THOMPSON FALLS (858) — Elsie Brown 91-89—180, Julia Vanicek 97-109—206, Jessica Bronner 99-107—206, Maggie Riddell 131-135—266
BIG TIMBER (874) — Tanna Campbell 84-79—163, Madilyn Emter 109-93—202, Marissa Morgan 129-124—253, Rylee Wittrock 126-130—256, Holli Kovatch 148-135—283
GLASGOW (899) — Heidi Moon 113-98—211, Lexi Pehlke 110-110—220, Fallon Larsen 116-115—231, Taylor Palm 114-123—237
HUNTLEY PROJECT (944) — Andi Crane 105-91—196, Jessika Harman 115-126—241, Payton Tigner 122-131—253, Emily Ley 125-135—260, Ashton Albrecht 132-129—261
CUT BANK (NS) — Tyler Matt 116-118—234, Jordan Whitford 120-120—240, Taelynn Still Smoking 127-118—245, Ashley McLean 154-0—WD
CONRAD (NS) — Megan Vandenacre 88-91—179, Kate Murack 116-110—226
RONAN (NS) — Brooklyn Olson 91-92—183
FORSYTH (NS) — Katie Friez 96-87—183
BAKER (NS) — Megan Slagter 95-90—185
CHOTEAU (NS) — Katie Bieler 90-97—187
ROUNDUP (NS) — Brennan Larson 93-103—196
EUREKA (NS) — Darian Truman 95-112—207
TOWNSEND (NS) — Morgan Nunn 106-104—210
LAME DEER (NS) — Jasmyne Two Moons 121-109—230
MALTA (NS) — Kloie Marks 141-0—WD