Polson golf excels in tourney
The Polson Pirates boys golf team continues to chase Hamilton as they prepare for the Divisional tournament now less than a week away that will be located in Hamilton.
Polson, who finished second to Hamilton in last year’s Class A state championship game, nearly overhauled the Broncs at the Frenchtown Invitational Wednesday and Thursday.
The Pirates came within two strokes of defeating their nemesis. Hamilton won the invitational with a cumulative score of 328. The Pirates finished second in the tournament shooting a team total of 330.
“(The competition) just makes it fun and my kids are playing pretty loose and confident,” Pirates coach Bill Owen said. “Maybe we will overtake them someday and that really gives us something to shoot for in the Divisionals. It will be good competition and both our boys and girls teams will have to step up.”
Pirates’ golfer Carson McDaniel fired a second-place score of 76. McDaniel finished second to Libby’s junior standout Ryggs Johnston, who finished 14 strokes ahead of the competition.
Finishing only three strokes behind McDaniel was Matt Hobbs. Hobbs, who has competed with McDaniel for the No. 1 spot, also medalled in the event by finishing with an 80. Polson’s Trey Kelley also fired an 83 in the event.
Pirates finish second
The Pirates golf team finished second again at the Hamilton Invitational Saturday at the Hamilton Golf Club.
McDaniel, who didn’t have to compete with star-studded Libby golfer Ryggs Johnson, tied for first place by firing a 76. Hobbs continues to put pressure on McDaniels but his quest fell four strokes short. Hobbs finished with an 80. Other golfers included Trey Kelley (85), Hogan Kelley (93), and Calvin Nowlen, who finished with a 96.
“They were in contention for Divisional and we are going to have to step it up from where we did,” Owen said. “We need to beat Hamilton. We haven’t beat Hamilton this year and we are going to have to put it together. I don’t feel like we’ve had our best showing yet and I think we could do a little bit better. We still haven’t reached our full potential.”
Owen attributes the Broncs’ recent success to their feeder program.
“They have a pretty good run of young kids coming through their program,” Owen said. “They just have an awfully good developmental program as well.”
Lady Pirates finish strong in Frenchtown
The Polson Lady Pirates golf team has established themselves as contenders, according to Owen.
The girls cumulative score of 419 was only seven strokes behind their conference opponent Whitefish. Whitefish captured first place in the Invitational firing a 412.
“The girls are contenders, too and (during the tournament), they were only seven strokes off from Whitefish,” Owen said. “All four of my girls have to perform well. I am really excited about my girls because they are just getting better and they will have better moments ahead. (The girls) are growing and they are getting excited about what they are doing.”
Esme Yarbrough, Amanda Farley and Berkley Ellis all fired 106.
Lady Pirates finish second
The Polson Lady Pirates continue to chase Whitefish and Frenchtown at the Hamilton Invitational.
Polson golfer Amanda Farley finished sixth firing a 104. Lady Pirate Cali Cannon finished 7th, firing a 105 in the tournament.
Hamilton Invitational
Hamilton CC
Saturday, September 16, 2017
GIRLS
Team scores
1, Frenchtown 418; 2, Polson 439; 3, Browning 443; 4, Hamilton 474; 5, Corvallis 485.
Individual (Top 10)
1, Courtney Ockler, Frenchtown 81; 2, Brooklyn Olson, Ronan 89; 3, Lindsey Huber, Dillon, 92; 4, Makayla LaBuff, Browning, 98; 5, Keelee Storrud, Corvallis, 104; 6, Amanda Farley, Polson 104; 7, Cali Cannon, Polson 105; 8, Catherine Gustin, Frenchtown 107; 9, Harper Armitage, Frenchtown 108; 10, Kelci Martin, Hamilton 111.
POLSON (439) – Amanda Farley 104, Cali Cannon 105, Esme Yarbrough, Berkley Ellis .
RONAN – Brooklyn Olson 89, Madyson Running Crane
BOYS
Team scores
1, Hamilton 312; 2, Polson 334; 3, Stevensville 345; 4, Frenchtown 365; 5, Corvallis 379; 6, Dillon 399; 7, Hamilton JV 426; 8, Browning 442.
Individual (Top 10)
1, Bryce Reed, Hamilton 76; 2, Carson McDaniel, Polson 76; 3, Zach Taylor, Hamilton 77; 4, Cannon Hawkes, Hamilton 79; 5, Tristan Hanson Hamilton 80; 6, Matt Hobbs, Polson 80; 7, Zel Frost, Stevensville 83; 8, Kobe Jessop, Corvallis 83; 9, Derek Wolff, Frenchtown 84; 10, Trey Kelley, Polson 85. (Sa16Sep17)
POLSON (334) – Carson McDaniel 76, Matt Hobbs 80, Trey Kelley 85,, Hogan Kelley 93, Calvin Nowlen 96.
RONAN – Anthony Camel
(Sa16Sep17)
Frenchtown Invitational
entailed includes two separate tournaments,
one Wednesday, the other Thursday.
GIRLS
Thursday at King Ranch GC
Polson not cited among team results nor individual scores
BOYS
Thursday at UM GC
Team scores
Hamilton 344, Stevensville 369, Frenchtown 373, Corvallis 389, Polson 418.
Frenchtown Invitational
Wednesday at The Ranch Club
GIRLS
Team scores
Whitefish 412, Polson 419, Browning 437, Libby 445, Frenchtown 474, Corvallis 508,
Top 15 individuals
1, Courtney Ockler, Frenchtown 90; 2, Gracie Young, Whitefish 91; 3, Brooklyn Olson, Ronan 91; 4, Jill SureChief, Browning 101; 5, Cali Cannon, Polson 101; 6, Allie Snyder, Libby 102; 7, Ella Shaw, Whitefish 104; 8, Megan Archibald, Whitefish 106; 9, Esme Yarbrough, Polson 106; 10, Amanda Farley, Polson 106; 11, Berkley Ellis, Polson 106; 12, Kelci Martin, Hamilton 106; 13, Sammie Bradeen, Libby 107; 14, Sequoia Butterfly, Browning 108; 15, Annie Nixon, Whitefish 111.
BOYS
Team scores
Hamilton 328, Polson 330, Stevensville 348, Whitefish 351, Libby 354, Frenchtown 381, Corvallis 386.
Top 15 individuals
1, Ryggs Johnston, Libby 64; 2, Carson McDaniel, Polson 76; 3, Derek Wolff, Frenchtown 78; 4, Tristan Hanson Hamilton 79; 5, Cameron Kahle, Whitefish 79; 6, Matt Hobbs, Polson 80; 7, Bryce Reed, Hamilton 81; 8, Zach Taylor, Hamilton 83; 9, Andrew Brozek, Whitefish 83; 10, Trey Kelley, Polson 83; 11, Zel Frost, Stevensville 84; 12, Cannon Hawkes, Hamilton 85; 13, Jacob Watters, Stevensville 85; 14, Ivan Yazvac, Stevensville 87; 15, Tanner Hanson, Hamilton 89.
(W13Sep17)