State A golf:Polson girls triumph, Laurel boys hold off Pirates, Bulldogs
HAMILTON — Polson’s girls got it done with their Iron-4 and the Laurel boys are still the real deal.
With Ashley Maki leading three Polson golfers in the top 15, the Pirates won the State A girls golf championship Saturday by 20 strokes at the Hamilton Golf Club.
Frenchtown’s Katie Lewis was girls medalist by 17 strokes with rounds of 77 and 76. Miles City golfer Karsyn Swigart was second (170).
Maki finished third, putting up matching 87s for a total of 174.
With Clare Konen (190) tying for ninth and Kylee Seifert (193) tying for 14th, the Pirates won their fifth state title and first since 2013.
Kila Cannon wasn’t far out of the top 15, finishing at 196, and the Pirates outpaced the host Hamilton Broncs. Frenchtown was third and defending champion Laurel was fourth.
“There’s only four of them,” coach Cameron Milton said of his Pirates. “That’s an incredible amount of pressure, where one person can’t have a bad day. And sleeping on a lead is never easy.
“It got within 14 or 15 strokes on the back nine, and they stepped up with some quality holes.”
Milton singled out Cannon, who had back-to-back birdies on Nos. 14-15 in the midst of a 102 on Saturday. Those were the Pirates’ only birdies of the day. Maki had one on Friday.
Laurel won its 13th boys crown and fifth in six seasons. The Locomotives finished behind Whitefish in 2020 and the Bulldogs hoped to rise again.
Instead Polson gave Laurel the biggest run, cutting a 10-stroke deficit to seven on the second day. Laurel ended with 604, Polson 611 and Whitefish took the third-place trophy with 618.
“We got them today,” Milton noted, after his club shot 299 to 302 for the Locomotives. “We had one of our worst days for the boys yesterday, but they are good, that’s for sure. Six-oh-four — 302 both days — is some really solid golf for them.”
Aubrey Kelley of Livingston was the medalist with rounds of 68-70 for a total of 138. Polson’s Carson Hupka had matching 71s to take second at 143; defending medalist Carson Hackman and Whitefish’s Billy Smith tied for third at 143.
Johnny Nix and Matthew Peschel both finished in the Top 15 to earn All-State honors.
“We didn’t play our best golf, Day 1,” Whitefish coach Tait Rocksund said. “So it was good to see us rally on the second day. We have five scores in the 70s, which is fantastic. When you have four seniors it’s great to see them go out like that.”
Rocksund was also pleased the Bulldogs made up a two-stroke deficit to Livingston on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Rangers’ Kelley was playing lights-out.
The final group started on No. 10 and ended on No. 9. With a birdie on No. 4, Hupka sat just one stroke off Kelley’s lead. Then the Livingston golfer played the last five holes 4-under.
“Every time I looked back — he plays a yellow ball and his yellow ball was right next to the hole,” Rocksund said. “It was Cameron Hackmann-esque from last year. He played great and it was fun to watch.”
“He definitely closed it out,” Milton said. “Carson played some really, really solid golf. I mean, 71-71, in challenging conditions.”
Hupka did birdie No. 9 to edge Smith by a stroke. Smith had three birdies in a closing 71.
The Pirates were hunting their first boys crown since 1996. None of them are seniors. Same with the girls, who could well repeat like they did from 2011-13.
Milton said as much to Laurel coach Jim O’Neill.
“He’s someone I respect and like who is a tremendous golf coach,” Milton added. “It was fun to congratulate him. And it was fun to tell him, ‘Hey, we’ll run this back next year in Sidney.’“
State A Golf
Saturday
Hamilton Golf Club
BOYS
Team scores — 1, Laurel 302-302—604; 2, Polson 312-299—611; 3, Whitefish 314-304—618; 4, Livingston 312-310—622; 5, Hamilton 318-321—639; 6 (tie), Corvallis 335-326—661 and Lewistown 340-321—661; 8, Billings Central 343-342—685.
Individual Top 15
Aubrey Kelley, Livingston 68-70—138
Carson Hupka, Polson 71-71—142
Cameron Hackmann, Laurel 74-69—143
Billy Smith, Whitefish 72-71—143
Sam Norman, Laurel 76-74—150
Eli Weisenberger, Laurel 75-76—151
Max Cianflone, Hamilton 73-80—153
Hunter Emerson, Polson 78-75—153
Brady Powell, Corvallis 79-76—155
Ryder Lee, Miles City 75-81—156
Johnny Nix, Whitefish 79-77—156
Jackson Heath, Hamilton 77-80—157
Danyk Jacobsen, Livingston 79-79—158
Matthew Peschel, Whitefish 80-79—159
Espn Fisher, Polson 82-77—159
POLSON: Carson Hupka 142, Hunter Emerson 153, Espn Fisher 159, Chrstian Lund 76-84—160, Torrin Ellis 82-81—163.
WHITEFISH: Billy Smith 143, Johnny Nix 156, Matthew Peschel 159, Riley Brown 77-83—160, Tag Walker 79-87—166.
LIBBY: Reece Malyevack 81-80—161.
COLUMBIA FALLS: Winslow Peters 87-84—171; Carson Settles 109-111—220; Tucker Gonzales 116-104—220.
RONAN: Colter Cornwell 91-94—185.
BROWNING: Isaac Flamand 92-94—186.
GIRLS
Team scores — 1, Polson 379-374—753; 2, Hamilton 401-372—773; Frenchtown 400-388—788; 4, Laurel 401-403—804; 5, Billings Central 406-408—814; 6, Livingston 420-437—857; 7, Sidney 428-452—880; Ronan 490-426—916.
Individual Top 15
Katie Lewis, Frenchtown 77-76—153
Karsyn Swigart, Miles City 86-84—170
Ashley Maki, Polson 87-87—174
Kiaralynn Weidinger, Lockwood 92-90—182
Jori Haugen, Billings Central 94-90—184
Alyssa Pretty On Top 92-93—185
Emma Hollingsworth, Hamilton 96-89—185
Camile Poncin, Livingston 95-94—189
Clare Konen, Polson 95-95—190
Shea Reber, Havre 95-95—190
Skylar LaPierre, Dillon 96-96—192
Anna Prill, Billings Central 100-92—192
Molly Cooney, Laurel 98-94—192
Brooklyn Brown, Hamilton 98-95—193
Kylee Seifert, Polson 103-90—193
POLSON: Ashley Maki 174; Kylee Seifert 193; Clare Konen 190; Kila Cannon 94-102—196.
RONAN: Alyssa Pretty On Top 185; Mady Evelo 105-128—233; Hanna Lytton 105-126—231; Emma Smith 123-144—267.
WHITEFISH: Stella Jaffe 90-95—194; Leia Brennan 112-109—221;
COLUMBIA FALLS: Addy Bowler 127-123—250.
LIBBY: MacKenzie Foss 117-107—224.