Sentinel boys win AA golf title; Pack fourth
BUTTE — Missoula Sentinel ended the Glacier boys’ run of State AA golf titles, and the Spartans did it convincingly.
With four players in the top 11, the Spartans cruised to the championship by 15 strokes over Helena Capital, 596-611.
Capital’s John Gilbert won a three-hole playoff with Sentinel’s Jack Schaefer to claim medalist honors. Gilbert shot a 32 on the back, with three birdies, to make up a 3-stroke deficit. He then birdied the third playoff hole to get past Schaefer.
Both players shot 69 on Friday and ended at 1-over 141 on the par-70 track.
The two-time defending champion Wolfpack faded to fourth place Friday, with Gallatin claiming the third-place trophy.
Luke Nelson finished sixth with a two-day total of 151 for Glacier; Torren Murray finished in a tie for seventh, one stroke back.
"It was a rough day, but we gave it our best,” Glacier golf coach Jim Ness said. “Hats off to Sentinel. They’ve got a great team and they played really well. It just wasn’t our day but we gave it 100 percent, boys and girls.”
Bozeman’s girls, like the Sentinel boys, cruised to the team title. Billings West was second, 35 strokes behind the Hawks; Gallatin (759), Billings Senior (772) and Glacier (774) followed.
Like the boys, the Pack had two All-State (Top 15) girls in Maggie Mitton, who tied for ninth at 177, and Kendall Tkachyk, who was 11th at 181.
Billings Senior’s Payton Tryan followed up her 76 from Thursday with a 77 and won medalist honors by seven strokes over Bozeman’s Heidi Huber. Par was 71 for the girls.
Flathead’s Hayden Ward and Rebecca Schmidt tied for 33rd among the girls.
For the Flathead boys Trygve Gislason fired a 76 on Friday to finish in a tie for 31st.
A few golfers shot better Friday, including Gilbert, Schaefer and Bozeman’s Will Benne and Billings Skyview’s Isaac Mosser, who had 71s. But not everyone.
“Yesterday I thought it was a tougher day because it rained for about half the round,” Ness said. “Today the wind picked up a little bit. But at the end of the day, Butte Country Club is not an easy course. Small greens and it’s a little bit tighter. You’ve got to use some precision to get around there.”
Murray, a junior, was All-State for a third straight season. Nelson, a senior, snared his second All-State honor. It was a first for Mitton and Tkachyk.
Full results can be found at mhsa.org.
State AA
Friday
Butte Country Club
BOYS
Team scores — 1, Missoula Sentinel 303-293—596; 2, Helena Capital 306-305—611; 3, Gallatin 315-310—625; 4, Glacier 309-318—627; 5, Bozeman 323-315—638; 6, Great Falls CMR 332-319—651; 7, Billings West 331-329—660; 8, Missoula Big /sky 345-330—675.
Individual Top 15
John Gilbert, Capital* 72-69—141
Jack Schaefer, Sentinel 72-69—141
Jack Pinski, CMR 72-72—144
Austin Kaufman, Helena 75-75—150
Derek Schaefer, Sentinel 76-74—150
Luke Nelson, Glacier 73-78—151
Torren Murray, Glacier 76-76—152
Isaac Mosser, Skyview 81-71—152
Willy Nowlen, Sentinel 80-73—153
Joseph Meusey, Sentinel 76-78—154
Benson Lauermann, Gallatin 79-75—154
Reece Chapman, Capital 74-80—154
Will Benne, Bozeman 84-71—155
Coby Sacry, Gallatin 78-78—156
Ryan Dailey, Gallatin 77-79—156
Hudson Goroski, Sentinel 79-77—156
Jackson Hageman, CMR 80-76—156
*-Won 3-hole playoff.
Flathead: Trygve Gislason 88-76—164, Andrew Converse 86-87—173.
Glacier: Nelson 151, Murray 152, Jonah Wynne 80-79—159, Sam Syverson 80-85—165, Elliot Anderson 97-92—189.
GIRLS
Team scores — 1, Bozeman 352-337—689; 2, Billings West 369-355—724; 3, Billings Senior 379-393—772; 4, Gallatin 387-372—759; 5, Glacier 406-368—774; 6, Helena 394-393—787; 7, Missoula Big Sky 426-410— 8365; 8, Flathead 420-343—854.
Individual Top 15
Payton Tryan, Senior 76-77—153
Heidi Huber, Bozeman 80-80—160
Kira Connell, Bozeman 81-81—162
Breckin Frederick, Gallatin 84-83—167
Avery Gardner, Bozeman 85-84—169
Lilia Troxel, Belgrade 85-84—169
Anna Fenhaus, West 85-85—170
Paige Loberg, West 88-83—171
Mya Helvic, Helena 91-91—182
Cailyn Rudolph, Skyview 90-93—183
Maggie Mitton, Glacier 92-85—177
Quincy Weymouth, CMR 87-90—177
Kendall Tkachyk, Glacier 95-86—181
Charlotte Dale, Big Sky 95-90—185
Ryane Viker, West 94-94—188
Brooklyn Hageman, CMR 95-93—188
Flathead: Hayden Ward 99-108—207, Rebecca Schmidt 105-102—207, Madeline Matson 108-117—215, Hadley McDonald 108-109—217, Sienna Blanchard 129-115—244.
Glacier: Mitton 177, Tkachyk 181, Vaida Cole 107-94—201, Abbi Townsend 112-103—215, Lillie Groom 120-106—226.