Pony boys shoot to a fourth-place finish

The Havre High golf teams did all they could do at the Class A state tournament this past weekend in Sidney. Unfortunately, golf is a difficult sport, and sometimes, no matter how hard you try, the ball just doesn’t do what you ask it to.

And for much of the 2015 Class A state tournament, played Friday and Saturday at the Sidney Country Club, that’s the way it went for the Blue Ponies, especially the HHS boys, who were certainly one of the teams to beat going into the final 36 holes of the season.

But at the end of the day, the Ponies came up two strokes shy of a trophy, as HHS had a two-day team total of 681, which put the Ponies in fourth place. Whitefish was third with a 679, while Billings Central ran away from defending champion Hamilton for the state championship. The Rams finished at 650, while the 2014 champion Broncs were second at 662.

“Conditions were tough, tougher on Saturday,” said HHS head coach Brett Gilman. “It was cold and windy and it drizzled the whole second day. But, at the end of the day, it was the same course and same conditions for everybody, and at times, we just didn’t handle those conditions as well as some of the other teams did.”

Individually, HHS junior Dustin Haas led the way for the Ponies with a two-day total of 165. Haas shot a first-day 80, which was one of the better scores of the weekend, and that propelled him to a tie for sixth and Class A All-State honors. Billings Central’s Liam Clancy won medalist honors with rounds of 74-75, while Hamilton’s Max Toenes was second and Lewistown’s Tyrell Walter was third.

After Haas, things were a little more inconsistent for the talented Ponies. Senior Jerod Boles and junior Kane Gabrielsen each shot 173 over the 36 holes, with Boles, making his fourth straight state tourney appearance, shooting 85-88, and Gabrielsen coming in at 86-87. Senior Jeff Miller, another four-time state qualifier, bounced back from a tough first day to shoot Havre’s top score on Saturday, an 82, which put him at 175 for the tournament. Junior Aden Passon rounded out the scoring for the ponies with a 176, including a solid 86 on the final day of the tourney.

“Dustin played really good, especially the first day,” Gilman said. “He had a really good finish to his season. Aden and Kane both shot some really good scores, too. At times, all of our kids played well, we just needed to be a little more consistent than we were. But I’m proud of all of those guys.”

While the Havre boys were battling hard to get into trophy contention in Sidney, the HHS girls played pretty consistent golf as well, and that put them with a solid eighth-place finish. Havre shot identical scores of 443 for both days to score 886 for the tourney. Whitefish won its second straight state championship, dominating the field with a 720. Sidney was a distant second and Frenchtown was third.

Individually, the Ponies were led by senior Randi Gabrielsen. In her fourth and final state tournament appearance, she shot a 216, including a second-day 106. Freshman Teagan Fee, who will be part of HHS’s future, had a good showing at her first state tournament, scoring rounds of 109-108, while sophomore Grace Litzinger, playing in her second state tourney, was right behind Fee with a score of 220. Senior Payton Howard rounded out the scoring for the Ponies with rounds of 116-117. Whitefish’ Coral Schulz edged Butte Central’s Tricia Joyce for medalist honors.

“Grace and Teagan played great,” Gilman said. “Considering it being state, and in those conditions, they shot some really good scores. It was a great experience for them.”

State A tournament

at Sidney Country Club

Final results

BOYS

Team scores: 1. Billings Central 315-335 -- 650, 2. Hamilton 333-329 -- 662, 3. Whitefish 343-336 -- 679, 4, Havre 341-340 -- 681, 5, Laurel 343-351 -- 694, 6, Livingston 341-359 -- 700, 7. Polson 347-354 -- 701, 8. Columbia Falls 401-387 -- 788.

Top 15: Liam Clancy, BC, 75-74 -- 149; Max Toenes, Hamilton 78-76 -- 154; Tyrell Walter, Lewistown, 77-83 -- 160; Chase Morehouse, Sidney, 82-80 -- 162; Josh Heath, Hamilton, 80-83 -- 163; Deven Doughty, Miles City, 81-84 -- 165; Dustin Haas, Havre, 80-85 -- 165; Paul O'Neil, Laurel, 83-82 -- 165; Winston Oppelt, Livingston, 79-86 -- 165; Luke Beenken, Sidney, 83-83 -- 166; Jackson Boos, BC, 79-87 -- 166; Cole Turgeon, Whitefish, 82-84 -- 166; Joey Walp, Whitefish, 85-81 -- 166; Blaine Wetzsteon, Hamilton, 85-81 -- 166; Carson McDaniel, Polson, 79-88 -- 167.

Billings Central (315-335 -- 650): Liam Clancy 75-74 -- 149, Jackson Boos 79-87 -- 166, Samuel Berry 85-84 -- 169, Kaiden Caraveau 78-94 -- 172, Harrison Fagg 83-90 -- 173.

Hamilton (333-329 -- 662): Max Toenes 78-76 -- 154, Josh Heath 80-83 -- 163, Blaine Wetzsteon 85-81 -- 166, Ky Burch 90-89 -- 179, Cannon Hawkes 110-100 -- 210.

Whitefish (343-336 -- 679): Cole Turgeon 82-84 -- 166, Joey Walp 85-81 -- 166, Jack Kahle 90-84 -- 174, Brendan Buls 88-87 -- 175, Cole Ashby 88-97 -- 185.

Havre (341-340 -- 681): Kane Gabrielsen 86-87 -- 173, Dustin Haas 80-85 -- 165, Jerod Boles 85-88 -- 173, Jeff Miller 93-82 -- 175, Aden Passon 90-86 -- 176.

Laurel (343-351 -- 694): Paul O'Neil 83-82 -- 165, Garrison Allen 83-91 -- 174, Logan Allen 89-88 -- 177, Robbie Nardella 88-90 -- 178, Andrew Day 89-91 -- 180.

Livingston (341-359 -- 700): Winston Oppelt 79-86 -- 165, Colton Oppelt 85-88 -- 173, Max Serafin 88-92 -- 180, Ben Engbers 90-93 -- 183, Lane Marshall 89-98 -- 187.

Polson (347-354 -- 701): Carson McDaniel 79-88 -- 167, Curtis Capdeville 84-86 -- 170, Noah McDonald 93-84 -- 177, Matt Hobbs 91-96 -- 187, Colin Kenney 94-97 -- 191.

Columbia Falls (401-387 -- 788): Gabe Love 87-89 -- 176, LJ Panasuk 97-99 -- 196, Logan Lybbert 105-103 -- 208, Logan Peck 113-96 -- 209, Trey Perkins 112-119 -- 231.

Belgrade: (no score): Elijah Baker 89-86 -- 175, Ian Baker 104-97 -- 201.

Browning (no score): Trae Kennerly 87-87 -- 174.

Butte Central (no score): Tyge Yelenich 86-85 -- 171, Bryan Arnold 94-103 -- 197, Tyler Kump 106-101 -- 207.

Dillon (no score): Gunnar Maisch 85-96 -- 181, Nate Lemieux 95-101 -- 196, Logan Wilson 100-99 -- 199.

Frenchtown (no score): Derek Wolff 92-93 -- 185.

Lewistown (no score): Tyrell Walter 77-83 -- 160, Jace Davis 94-84 -- 178, Kody Neill 91-95 -- 186.

Miles City (no score): Deven Doughty 81-84 -- 165, Gavin Gundlach 94-97 -- 191, Nick Anderson 100-113 -- 213.

Sidney (no score): Chase Morehouse 82-80 -- 162, Luke Beenken 83-83 -- 166, Kyler Garsjo 84-96 -- 180.

Stevensville (no score): Zel Frost 88-98 -- 186, Jayce Painter 99-106 -- 205, Ivan Yazvac 105-102 -- 207.

GIRLS

Team scores: 1. Whitefish 353-367 -- 720, 2. Sidney 377-382 -- 759, 3. Frenchtown 406-407 -- 813, 4. Laurel 413-417 -- 830, 5. Lewistown 423-429 -- 852, 6. Browning 436-429 -- 865, 7, Billings Central 430-438 -- 868, 8. Havre 443-443 -- 886, 9. Hamilton 472-478 -- 950, 10. Dillon 473-485 -- 958.

Top 15: Coral Schulz, Whitefish, 76-80 -- 156; Tricia Joyce, Butte Central, 82-79 -- 161; Katie Fyall, Whitefish, 86-84 -- 170; Morgan O'Neil, Laurel, 87-84 -- 171; Summer Kennerly, Browning, 91-87 -- 178; Sydni Rose, Hamilton, 89-91 -- 180; Tierney Messmer, Sidney, 92-90 -- 182; Kaelyn Volk, Sidney, 92-91 -- 183; Shaelyn Bowlds, Sidney, 89-95 -- 184; Dani Flynn, Frenchtown, 91-94 -- 185; Kinsey Irvin, Lewistown, 94-94 -- 188; Breilyn Riggins, Glendive, 92-96 -- 188; Sophia Mascarena, Billings Central, 92-97 -- 189; Hayley Hileman, Whitefish, 94-103 -- 197; Holly Hileman, Whitefish, 97-100 -- 197; Amanda Mittlestadt, Glendive, 102-96 -- 198.

Whitefish (353-367 -- 720): Coral Schulz 76-80 -- 156, Katie Fyal 86-84 -- 170, Hayley Hileman 94-103 -- 197, Holly Hileman 97-100 -- 197, Paige Sproul 120-120 -- 240

Sidney (377-382 -- 759): Tierney Messmer 92-90 -- 182, Kaelyn Volk 92-91 -- 183, Shaelyn Bowlds 89-95 -- 184, Torey Dahl 104-106 -- 210

Frenchtown (406-407 -- 813): Dani Flynn 91-94 -- 185, Jamie McNally 104-102 -- 206, Ashlyn Stenerson 103-107 -- 210, Courtney Ockler 108-104 -- 212

Laurel (413-417 -- 830): Morgan O'Neil 87-84 -- 171, Madi Tucker 101-99 -- 200, Kallie Linse 99-107 -- 206, Dakota Boehler 126-127 -- 253, Elise Shovar 144-134 -- 278

Lewistown (423-429 -- 852): Kinsey Irvin 94-94 -- 188, Kayla Irish 97-107 -- 204; Abby Gremaux 109-111 -- 220, Karlie Southworth 123-117 -- 240, Madison Lewis 140-129 -- 269

Browning (436-429 -- 865): Summer Kennerly 91-87 -- 178, Tiara Gilham 104-95 -- 199, Sarah Harrison 112-125 -- 237, Ranessa Skunkcap 129-122 -- 251, Makayla Labuff 143-142 -- 285

Billings Central (430-438 -- 868): Sophia Mascarena 92-97 -- 189, Kenna Adolph 101-111 -- 212, Chloe Michaelson 110-103 -- 213, Perry Widdicombe 127-127 -- 254

Havre (443-443 -- 886): Randi Gabrielsen 110-106 -- 216, Teagan Fee 109-108 -- 217, Grace Litzinger 108-112 -- 220, Payton Howard 116-117 -- 233

Hamilton (472-478 -- 950): Sydni Rose 89-91 -- 180, Melissa Kimp 109-112 -- 221, Liz Roberts 117-121 -- 238, Haile Spear 157-154 -- 311

Dillon (473-485 -- 958): Rachel Nye 108-114 -- 222, Lindsey Huber 116-116 -- 232, Makaila Marsh 125-126 -- 251, Amber Sitz 124-130 -- 254, Kelsey Truman 128-129 -- 257

Butte Central (no score): Tricia Joyce 82-79 -- 161

Columbia Falls (no score): Shea Lefebvre 125-120 -- 245, Kerry Lanners 140-135 -- 275, Ali Gould 144-136 -- 280

Glendive (no score): Breilyn Riggins 92-96 -- 188, Amanda Mittlestadt 102-96 -- 198

Hardin (no score): Sadye Small 103-104 -- 207

Livingston (no score): Kaycee Keegan 104-103 -- 207, Hunter-Rose Goetz 102-107 -- 209, Carson Ooley 117-109 -- 226

Miles City: Riley Shipp 118-108 -- 226

Polson (no score): Kiyara Mccue 115-118 -- 233, Emily Davis 134-129 -- 263, Amanda Farley 136-133 -- 269

Stevensville (no score): Madeline Servoss 132-127 -- 259