Whitefish boys build first-day advantage
POLSON — The Whitefish Bulldogs, led by Billy Smith and Johnny Nix, put four players in the top 15 Friday to take the first-day lead at the State A golf tournament at Polson Bay Golf Club.
Smith shot a 72 and Nix a 73, and the Bulldogs built a four-stroke lead over Laurel — 297 to 301 — after 18 holes in the boys’ team race.
Cameron Hackmann birdied two par-3s to finish 1-under at 71 for Laurel, taking a one-stroke lead in the medalist race.
Smith had three birdies and three bogeys and is tied with Livingston’s Aubrey Kelly at even par. Close behind is Nix, who had four birdies Friday, and then teammate Marcus Kilman was right behind him at 74, which puts him seventh.
Bjorn Olson’s 78 puts the Whitefish golfer just inside the cut-off for All-State: He’s sitting 15th. Libby’s Reece Malyevac is sitting just outside the cut-off at 80.
Polson had two players fire 75s — Carson Hupka and Christian Lund — and two more break 80 (Hunter Emerson and Torrin Ellis). Lund made eagle on No. 15 Friday. The Pirates are third after shooting 306; Livingston is fourth at 316.
Led by Hannah and Haylee Adams, Laurel took a commanding 57-stroke lead in the girls team race.
Hannah Adams shot a 74 and is tied with defending medalist Macee Greenwood of Corvallis atop the leaderboard. Frenchtown freshman Katie Lewis shot 76 and Haylee Adams shot 79.
Laurel’s Breana Jensen and Molly Cooney also sit in the top 15.
Polson’s Ashley Maki is tied for fifth at 83, and her team as well as Whitefish have a clear shot at a top-three trophy: Hamilton is a distant second with a team score of 383, but Livingston (386), Polson (388) and Whitefish (390) are all right there.
The Bulldogs have Anyah Cripe (87) and Macy Whisenand (88) sitting in the top 10.
The tournament concludes today. Golfers head out for a shotgun start at 10 a.m.
State A
Polson Bay Golf Course
First round
Friday
BOYS
Team scores — 1, Whitefish 297, 2, Laurel 301; 3, Polson 306; 4, Livingston 316; 5, Hamilton 325; 6, Billings Central 343; 7, Lewistown 348; 8, Corvallis 363.
Individual Top 15
1, Cameron Hackmann, Laurel, 71; 2, Billy Smith, Whitefish, 72; 3, Aubrey Kelley, Livingston 72; 4, Johnny Nix, Whitefish, 73; 5, Eli Weisenberger, Laurel, 74; 6, Danyk Jacobsen, Livingston, 74; 7, Marcus Kilman, Whitefish, 74; 8, Christan Lund, Polson, 75; 9, Carson Hupka, Polson, 75; 10. Sam Norman, Laurel, 75; 11, Max Cianflone, Hamilton, 78; 12, Hunter Emerson, Polson, 77; 13, Jackson Heath, Hamilton, 78; 14, Connor Walsh, Billings Central, 78; 15, Bjorn Olson, Whitefish, 78.
WHITEFISH: Billy Smith 72, Johnny Nix 73; Marcus Kilman 74; Bjorn Olson 78; Riley Brown 83.
LAUREL: Cameron Hackmann 71, Eli Weisenberger 74; Sam Norman 75; Trey Ewalt 81; Trayson Hart 82.
POLSON: Carson Hupka 75; Christian Lund 75; Hunter Emerson 77, Torrin Ellis 79; Espn Fisher 85.
LIVINGSTON: Aubrey Kelly 72; Danyk Jacobsen 74; Chance Marshal 83; Liam Higgins 87; Houston Dunn 90.
HAMILTON: Max Cianflone 76, Jackson Heath 78, Cole Dickemore 85; Andrew Ricklets 86; Carson Richie 86.
BILLINGS CENTRAL: Conor Walsh 78, Reese Jewnsen 81, David Ramshaw 88, Blake Harlan 96; Conroy Schmitt 100.
LEWISTOWN: Fischer Brown 81; Carson Barta 82; Carter Wichman 89; Sean Zimmer 96; Keaton Wold 97.
CORVALLIS: Mason Anderson 82, Tate Jessop 85; Grant Wilcox 95; Shane Lachenauer 101; Bryce Cooper 119.
LIBBY: Reece Malyevac 80.
COLUMBIA FALLS: Lane Clark 90.
RONAN: Dillon Pretty On Top 89; Nash Niemeyer 92; Ruben Couture 92.
GIRLS
Team scores — 1, Laurel 326; 2, Hamilton 383; 3, Livingston 386; 4, Polson 388; 5, Whitefish 390; 6, Corvallis 397; 7, Miles City 402; 8, Billings Central 443.
Individual Top 15
1, Hannah Adams, Laurel, 74; and Macee Greenwood, Corvallis, 74; 3, Katie Lewis, Frenchtown, 76; 4, Haylee Adams, Laurel, 79; 5 (tie), Ashley Maki, Polson, 83; and Brena Jensen, Laurel, 83; 7, Karly Volk, Sidney, 84; 8, Aly Rose, Hamilton, 86; 9, Anyah Cripe, Whitefish, 87; 10 (tie), Macy Whisenand, Whitefish, 88; and Karsyn Swigert, Miles City, 88; 12, Reagan LaPante, Miles City, 89; 13 (tie), Anna Prill, Billings Central, 90; Molly Cooney, Laurel, 90; and Kiaralynn Weidinger, Lockwood, 90.
LAUREL: Hannah Adams 74; Haylee Adams 79; Breana Jensen 83; Molly Cooney 90; Alyssa Robertus 101.
HAMILTON: Aly Rose 86; Brooklyn Brown 91; Fern Stewart 101; Emma Hollingsworth 105; McKinley Murray 107.
LIVINGSTON: Jessica Gubler 91; Elsa Cajune 96; Ashlan Mortensen 99; Camille Poncin 100; Kara Allen 100.
POLSON: Ashley Maki 83; Kylee Seifert 96; Kila Cannon 102; Clare Konen 107.
WHITEFISH: Anya Cripe 87, Macy Whisenand 88; Stella Jaffe 106; Tallory Workman 109; Leia Brennan 115.
CORVALLIS: Macee Greenwood 74; Hailey Anderson 104; Ava Leopold 106; Gabby Krueger 113.
MILES CITY: Karsyn Swigart 88, Reagan LaPante 89; Cadence Blankenship 103; Kendall Lange 122.
COLUMBIA FALLS: Eddie Chisholm 110.
RONAN: Alyssa Pretty on Top 92; Kylee Niemeyer 102.