Glacier sweeps Kalispell Invite
There was plenty of excitement at Buffalo Hill Golf Course Thursday, with the Glacier High boys winning in another playoff, and the Wolfpack sweeping another golf tournament.
Glacier had two golfers birdie an extra hole to edge Whitefish (one birdie, two pars, bogey) in a playoff to win the boys crown at the two-day Kalispell Invitational, which began Wednesday at Northern Pines.
The Wolfpack ate up a 3-stroke first-day deficit and had Tyler Avery tie with Whitefish standout Billy Smith and Helena Capital golfer Joe Opitz for medalist honors.
That brought more excitement: In a playoff, Avery drove the No. 18 green with his tee shot, setting up a 20-footer for eagle. Then Opitz holed out for an eagle from roughly 50 yards.
“Then Tyler had to get his eagle putt in to force another playoff hole,” Glacier coach Doug Manaker said.
Avery ran it past and ended up with a par; Sam Engellant and Will Salonen had birdies, however, to sew up the team title.
Joining Opitz as medalist was Flathead’s Jillian Wynne, who shot a two-day total of 169 to continue her strong season. The Wolfpack’s Stella Claridge and Chloe Tanner finished second and fourth. Whitefish’s Anyah Cripe was fifth.
Big Sky’s Hayden Ellis was fourth, CMR’s Eli Groshelle fifth and Whitefish’s Marcus Kilman was sixth among the boys.
Glacier swept the team titles for the third straight tournament, having won the Helena (the boys in a playoff) and Whitefish Invitationals previously.
Wynne was the girls' medalist at both those tournaments as well.
“For the boys, our first day we didn’t feel like we played as well as we could have,” Manaker said. “We fought back and we’re very proud to be able to come through. It’s fun. That’s good for us as we head forward toward divisionals and state.
“Stella Claridge played well both days, to finish second. Our girls continue to get better and especially get more consistent. Which is a reason we’ve done so well the last three weeks.”
Kalispell Invitational
BOYS
Team scores — 1, Glacier 627, 2, Whitefish 627; 3, Sentinel 632; 4, Helena Capital 639; 5, Polson 657; 6, Hellgate 673; 7, Great Falls CMR 675; 8, Flathead 691; 9, Hamilton 701; 10, Glacier JV 707; 11, Missoula Big Sky 709; 12, Helena 761; 13, Great Falls High 779; 14, Flathead JV 812; 15, Columbia FAlls 832.
Top 15 Individuals
1, x-Joe Opitz, Sentinel, 76-76—152; 2, y-Tyler Avery, Glacier, 79-73—152; 3, Billy Smith, Whitefish, 73-79—152; 4, Hayden Ellis, Big Sky, 79-74—153; 5, Eli Groshelle, CMR, 73-81—154; 6, Marcus Kilman, Whitefish, 77-77—154; 7, Cale Hines, Capital, 77-79—156; 8, Johnny Nix, Whitefish, 78-78—156: 9, Sam Engellant, Glacier, 77-79—156; 10, Cale Hines, Capital, 77-79—156.
x-won 3-way playoff; y-second in 3-way playoff; *-won scorecard playoff.
Area teams
GLACIER: Tyler Avery 79-73—152; Will Salonen 81-76—157; Keaton Cassidy 80-83—163; Sam Engellant 77-79—156; Coby Kunda 80-86—166.
WHITEFISH: Billy Smith 73-79—152; Johnny Nix 78-78—156; Marcus Kilman 77-77—154; Riley Brown 85-80—165; Bjorn Olson 88-92—180.
POLSON: Torrin Ellis 85-88—173; Hunter Emerson 81-80—161; Carson Hupka 77-79—156; Christian Lund 81-86—167; Espn Fisher 91-93—184.
FLATHEAD: Joston Cripe 87-85—172; Drew Lowry 90-83—173; Korbin Hawley 93-79—172; Kadin Gall 96-88—184; Tyler Williams 100-78—178.
COLUMBIA FALLS: Lane Clark 92-86—178; Tyler Strouse 108-105—213; Evanb Fisher 117-100—217; Connor Presnell 125-115—240; Caleb Reinsberg 114-110—224.
GIRLS
Team scores — 1, Glacier 752; 2, Helena Capital 773; 3, Whitefish 805; 4, Hamilton 810; 5, Polson 814; 6, Flathead 818; 7, Great Falls CMR 826; 8, Missoula Sentinel 873.
Top 15 Individuals
1, Jillian Wynne, Flathead, 89-80—169; 2, Stella Claridge, Glacier, 87-85—172; 3, Sarah Halferty, Helena, 83-90—173; 4, Chloe Tanner, Glacier, 88-89—177; 5, Anyah Cripe, Whitefish, 98-85—183; 6, Aly Rose, Hamilton, 89-95—184; 7, Kendra Thayer, CMR, 92-99—191; 8, Paige O’Mara, Capital, 96-95—191; 9, Ashley Maki, Polson, 101-92—193; 10, Megan Swanson, Capital, 94-99—193.
*-won scorecard playoff.
Area teams
GLACIER: Chloe Tanner 88-89—177; Stella Claridge 87-85—172; Kenna Sandler 96-101—197; Colette Daniels 100-106—206; Sophie LeDuc 115-122—237.
WHITEFISH: Anyah Cripe 98-85—183; Macy Whisenand 112-98—210; Stella Jaffe 102-106—208; Tallory Workman 103-107—210; Leia Brennan 106-122—228.
POLSON: Ashley Maki 101-92—193; Clare Konen 99-96—195; Kylee Seifert 103-105—208; Kila Cannon 111-107—218.
FLATHEAD — Jillian Wynne 89-80—169; McKinlie Murer 106-96—202; Sophie Dykhuizen 112-107—219; Ladahlia Hook 135-109—244; Becca Vosenn 119-121—240.
COLUMBIA FALLS: Eddie Chisholm 114-127—241; Addy Bowler 130-122—252; Rylie Cole 123-109—232.