Pony golfers get tremendous experience at state

Sometimes in sports, the biggest challenges are the best learning experiences.

And that's what five Havre High golfers got this weekend at the Class A state golf tournament in Laurel.

The Blue Ponies who qualified for the 36-hole state finale Friday and Saturday at the private Laurel Golf Club may have not turned in the scores they were hoping for, but they played their best and when it was all said and done, they came away with an invaluable experience.

"Overall, I'm really happy with how this season went," Havre first-year head coach McKinsey Rodriguez said. "We were a young team this year, we only lose Rebekah Martin, and she's going to go on and try to play college golf, she has a bright future if she continues to work at it. But I think this program has a bright future and I think the kids who went to state all came a long way this season."

Martin was playing in her third straight state tournament, and while her scores have been lower at times this year, she still turned in a two-day total of 222, which put her inside the 30 overall. She was also consistent through the two rounds, shooting 112 on Friday and 110 on Saturday.

And it was the rest of the Blue Pony team who followed her lead and turned in a great first-ever state tournament.

Freshman Katie Beck shot 125 on Friday and 139 on Saturday, Samantha French carded a 146 on Friday and a personal best 138 on Saturday, and freshman Boston Swenson shot 146 on Friday and 145 on Saturday. All three of the aforementioned players will return next year, giving the Havre girls program a solid nucleus to work with.

"I'm really happy with our girls team this year," Rodriguez said. "Obviously, we lose a really good player in Rebekah but I think the other girls learned a lot from her this season.

"Katie Beck's future is really bright for us. She had a great first season and will continue to get better," he added. "And if Boston Swenson sticks with it, I think she can do the same. They both have the chance to be really good players. And Samantha French was just a sophomore this year and she had the best round of her golfing career at state, so that goes to show you how far she has come."

On the boys side, junior Simon McCann was the lone Blue Pony in the field this weekend. In his second state tournament appearance, McCann shot a difficult 97 on Friday and a 105 on Saturday. His two-day total put him in 50th place in what was a loaded Class A draw this season.

"Simon didn't play as well as he was hoping to," Rodriguez said. "But I think going up against the players he saw this weekend, and the tough course we played, it was a great experience for him. And I fully expect he'll have a great senior year.

"We have all of our boys coming back next year too," he added. "So this season was a great learning experience for our boys teams."

Hamilton edged Laurel by two strokes for the Class A boys state title this weekend while Belgrade as a distant third. In a hotly-contested individual race, Belgrade's Zach Stowell beat out Whitefish's Reed Platke by one stroke for medalist honors.

On the girls side, Billings Central cruised to the state championship. The Rams scored a 693 while second-place Laurel finished at 748. Whitefish was even farther back in third place. Kyla Clancy of Central shot 154 to claim girls medalist honors. Clancy's score would have been good enough to tie her for third place in the fourth standings.

State A tournament

at Laurel

BOYS

Final team scores — Hamilton 640, Laurel 642, Belgrade 658, Sidney 681, Whitefish 682, Billings Central 688, Polson 703, Butte Central 735, Dillon 755, Anaconda 764, Livingston 774, Columbia Falls 785.

Top 10 — Zack Stowell, Bel, 79-72-151; Reed Platke, Whi, 75-77-152; Brad Palin, Ham, 76-77-153; Connor Solomon, Lau, 79-75-154; Eli Rogers, 79-77-156; Jake McKinney, 79-78-157; Tyler Jessop, Ham, 83-77-160; Decker Will-son, Liv, 81-79-160; Dylan Meccage, Lau, 87-77-164; Eric Olive, 81-84-165.

Team-by-team results

Anaconda — 23 Anthony Wood 87-85-172; 51, Geoff Dierenfeldt, 97-94-191; 57, 57 Jerod Arneson 101-100-201; 61,Jackson Wagner, 100-105-205; 62, Jade Green, 108-100-208.

Belgrade — 1, Zack Stowell, 79-72-151; 10, Eric Olive, 81-84-165; 18, Zach Klonskinski, 83-88-171; 18, Austin Stow-ell, 88-83-171; 41, Tyler Ferguson, 92-90-182.

Billings Central — 13, Joe Warren, 81-86; 18, Tyler Nelson, 85-86-171; 25, Paul Gillig, 87-86-173; 32, Bobby Keil, 92-86-178; 41, Camden Caraveau, 91-91-182.

Browning — 66, Frank Harrison, 102-110-212.

Butte Central — 34, Cole Noctor, 92-87-179; 37, Ed Lally, 92-88-180; 44, Harley Davidson, 93-92-185; Derek Ralph, 99-92-191; 68, Jake Kenison, 117-103-220.

Columbia Falls — 28, Jordan Mueller, 89-86-175; 44, Parker Johnson, 93-92-185; 53, Nick Emerson, 101-92-193; 71, Brian Marcille, 108-124-232; 74, Jason Trueblood, 142-129-271.

Dillon — 16, Brett Creger, 89-81-170; 50, Marcus Osborne, 91-99-190; 54, Tyler Love, 100-97-197; 55, Devon Compton, 96-102-198; Danny McGrath, 115-120-235.

Frenchtown — 32, Troy Wolff, 89-89-178; 63, Chris Merritt, 103-106-209.

Hamilton — 3, Brad Palin, 76-77-153; 5, Eli Rodgers, 79-77-156; 7, Tyler Jessop, 83-77-160; 18, Kyle Lubke, 86-85-171; 67, Dillon Francis, 111-102-213.

Havre — 58, Simon McCann, 97-105-202.

Laurel — 4, Connor Solomon, 79-75-154; 6, Jake McKinney, Laurel, 79-78-157; 9, Dylan Meccage, 87-77-164; 15, Brandon Tarantino, 83-86-169; 27, Bobby Anderson, 85-89-174.

Lewistown — 30, Jesse Kynett, 91-85-176; 48, Austin Butcher, 97-90-187; 58, 58, Matt O'Dell, 101-101-202.

Libby — 44, Louis Cielak, 90-95-185.

Livingston — 7, Decker Willson, 81-79-160; 31, Cleo Allen-Toll, 93-84-177; 63, Scott Wilson, 112-97-209; 69, Preston Coon, 121-107-228; 73, Brandon Coon, 128-125-253.

Miles City — 34, Bryce Anderson, 93-86-179; 37, Jarrett Bishop, 90-90-180.

Polson — 11, Cody Fischer, 90-76-166; Dakotah Jenson, 84-84-168; Hayden Congdon, 83-88-171; Logan Howell, 96-104-200; Austin Von Tom, 101-102-203.

Ronan — 65, Riley Dennis, 106-104-210; 70, Payton Adams, 116-113-229.

Sidney — 11, Marcus Mayer, 83-83-166; Paul Brannan, 86-84, 170; Brett Montgomery, 85-87-172; Bobby Frank,

88-85-173; Connor Frank, 89-93-182.

Stevensville — 44, Milan Plachy, 96-89-185; Nigel McCallum, 98-91-189.

Whitefish — 2, Reed Platke, 75-77-152; 28, Camp Kenyon, 84-91-175; 34, Dylan Parr, 93-86-179; Arthur Doorn, 92-88-180; 37, Kyler Blades, 91-89-180.

GIRLS

Team scores — Billings Central 693; Laurel 748; Whitefish 769; Anaconda 816; Polson 818; Sidney 821, Livingston 821; Frenchtown 958; Columbia Falls 962; Dillon 984, Lewistown 1012, Browning 1099.

Top 10 — Kyla Clancy, BC, 78-76-154; MckEnzie Webinger, Lau, 83-80-163; Mariah Cleveland, Lau, 84-81-165; Katelyn Frank, Sid, 82-83-165; Kiley McCOnnell, Whi, 78-90-168; Teryn Green, Ana, 88-89-177;Sarah Hagan, BC, 89-89-178; Ashleigh Walter, BC, 91-88-179; CHere Anderson, BC, 95-87-182; Toni Reynolds, 89-95-184.

Team-by-team results

Anaconda — 6, Teryn Green, 88-89-177; 16, McKenah Blume, 106-97-203; 23, Reema Najjar, 107-107-214; 30, Dusti Voeller, 113-109-222; 42, Alexandra Huber, 118-117-235.

Belgrade — 66, Jessie Hirsch, 158-129-287.

Billings Central — 1, Clancy, 78-76-154; 7, Hagan, 89-89-178; 8, Walter, 91-88-179; 9, Chere' Anderson, 95-87-182; 29, Kali Harrington, 109-112-221.

Browning — 26, Ashton Smith, 112-106-218; 39, Jessica Magee, 113-118-231; 71, Rainna Calf Looking, 159-155-314; 72, Whitney Morris, 163-173-336; 74 Rayna Wells, 164-187-351.

Columbia Falls — 32, Michelle Hagen, 118-107-225; 48, Courtney Tamburelli, 124-115-239; 56, Nika Geratova, 122-123-245; Morgan Love, 123-130-253;Maggie Panasuk, 153-146-299.

Dillon — 44, Kelsey Peterson, 121-115-236; 51, Kassade Lemhouse, 113-127-240; 57, Kristen Cottom, 129-118-247; Taylor Nelson, 134-127-261.

Frenchtown — 36, Madison Blass, 116-113-229; 42, Brittnee Richardson, 119-116-235; 48, Mary Brooks, 123-116; 239; Darby McNally, 131-124-255; Ashley Munoz, 145-131; 276.

Glendive — 34, Jodie Dion, 114-114-228; 46, Allie Middlestadt, 117-121-238.

Hamilton — 39, Alyssa Heath, 123-108-231; 54, Emily Winter, 118-123-241; 55, Mishaila Conway, 112-132-244; 58, Meg Maclean, 120-130-250.

Hardin — 44, Alice Ann Sloan, 112-124-236.

Havre — Rebekah Martin 112-110-222; Katie Beck 125-139-264; Samantha French 146-138-284; Boston Swenson 146-145-291.

Laurel — McKenzie Webinger, 83-80-163; 3, Mariah Cleveland, 84-81-165; Carlee Hart, 93-95-188; Rhea Riedlin-ger, 113-119-232; Elle Badgett, 129-127-256.

Lewistown — 38, Sydney Smith, 113-117-230; 46, Rayann Brwon, 121-117-238; 51, Marlee Thomas, 110-130-240; 70, Kaira BLume, 148-156-304; 73, Emily Valdez, 169-176-345.

Livingston — 14, Christal Tokash, 96-98-194; 18, Sarah Boyer, 106-98-204; 19, Emily Buckner, 104-101-205; 28, Nicole Froelich, 114-106-220; 32, Michaela Amunrud, 112-113-225.

Miles City — 10, Toni Reynolds, 89-95-184.

Polson — 11, Amy Williamson, 94-92-186; 16, Kat Medland, 100-103-203; 23, Anna Digiallonardo, 109-105-214; 25, Makaliah Wilson, 103-112-215; Jaylin Kenney, 115-113-228.

Ronan — 22, Alex Dulmes, 102-110-212; 51, Paige Delauranti, 125-115-240.

Sidney — 3, Frank, 82-83-165; 20, Abby Balcer, 108-99-207; 21, Elise Torgerson, 110-100-210; 48, Kennedi Shee-han, 112-127-239; 68, Nicole Monsen, 154-140-294.

Whitefish — 5, McConnell, 78-90-168; 13, Danielle McCully, 95-94-189; 15, Erin Tabish, 99-100-199; 26, Klaire Taylor, 104-114-218; 36, Emma Dowalby, 120-109-129.