Valley golfers prepare for the Class A state competition

All season the Polson Pirates have chased their nemesis: Hamilton.

Polson got the closest they’ve been to the Broncs’ team all season falling four strokes short of overhauling their team on their home course Saturday afternoon at the Hamilton.

The Broncs won on their home course firing a divisional-winning 326. Polson, who finished second and also qualified for state as a team, shot a cumulative total of 330 at Divisionals.

“We came the closest that we have to defeating Hamilton this year and I was pleased with this because we got close to them on their home course,” Polson coach Bill Owen said. “Next week, we will play them on neutral ground. They won’t have the advantage of playing on their home course and hopefully we can make that up.”

The Pirates boys team will get another shot at Hamilton and the rest of the state competition when they travel to the Class A state golf tournament Thursday through Saturday in Sidney.

Last year, the Pirates fell 17 strokes short to a second-place finish with a two-day score of 651. The Broncs captured first place by firing a 637 en route to capturing the Class A state crown last season.

As they prepare to enter this year’s state competition, Owen said he expects the state-wide competition to be “fierce.”

“We are trophy contenders and there are about four or five that are competing for a trophy,” Owen said. “I think we are definitely one of them. We want to take a run at the whole works but we have to improve a little bit to do that. Billings Central has a really quality team and they will be one of our biggest foes. We are going to have to golf one of our best games of the season. We will see what happens.”

All season, Owen has emphasized the team concept over individual achievement. He said he felt his team has “bought into” this concept.

“We are more focused on what we can do as a team and I am trying to promote it as that,” Owen said. “It is about what the team can do and what they they can contribute as a team. More of the focus is building team camaraderie amongst my crew on the girls and boys side. Both the girls and boys teams are gelling and bonding. I feel we are going to state with more of a team concept than how they are going to do themselves.”

All season Carson McDaniel and Matt Hobbs have competed with each other. McDaniel captured third firing a 76 and Hobbs finished behind him by one stroke. Hobbs finished sixth with a 77 and Trey Kelley finished 9th with a score of 83. Other Pirate golfers that finished in the top 30 included Hogan Kelley (94) and Colby Delvin (99).

Owen stated the individual competition between some of the top-caliber players have pushed them to excel.

“There is no question that having quality teammates helps press each other more when they play,” Owen said. “The top three boys players are competing with each other and that helps them against the rest of the field.”

On the front nine, McDaniel competed with Libby’s No. 1 player Ryggs Johnston, who is verbally committed to golf at Arizona State, the same program that spawned PGA golfer Phil Mickelson.

“McDaniel hung with Ryggs for nine holes and was three under going into the ninth hole until he hit a ball out of bounds,” Owen said. “McDaniel had a heck of a first half of the match.”

As an individual, Owen feels McDaniel and Hobbs are both capable of competing with anyone in the field.

“You never know in golf,” Owen said.

Lady Pirates punch ticket to state

The young Lady Pirates golf team could be dangerous if they all achieve their potential at the same time headed into girls Class A state golf championship Saturday in Sidney, Owen said.

The Lady Pirates had a total of three individual medalists: Cali Cannon, who finished 7th with a 98, Amanda Farley finished 8th, firing a 99 and Berkley Ellis finished 13th with a 108. Esme Yarbrough didn’t medal but finished in the top 30, scoring a 116 Saturday at Hamilton.

“If they all gel at the right time they could be in the trophy hunt at state,” Owen said.

Owen said his young team continues to improve and could potentially ‘peak’ at state.

“If we can go to state and have all of them reach their potential or golf to a level they have, we will be in contention for a trophy,” Owen said. “As far as trophy threats, the edge goes to Sidney because they will be playing on their home course. We’ve been right there with Whitefish and I’ve heard Laurel has a good team.”

When traveling to the eastern portion of Montana, one concern would be wind and other potentially blustery conditions. Owen has stated the forecast is “good” for Thursday through Saturday.

“There is a pocket down on the river bottom and it’s really protected from the wind, which shouldn’t be a big factor,” Owen said. “In a previous meet at Sidney, there was rain and cold weather. When you are two weeks into October, you can hit about anything weather wise.”

Maidens golfers punches ticket to state

Ronan Maidens’ Brooklyn Olson has successfully punched her ticket to state firing a 96 Saturday at Divisionals at Hamilton.

Olson, who was a medalist at last season’s Class B state golf, has continued her success in Ronan’s transition to Class A competition.

Olson medalled at Divisional and could be an individual threat to medal at the Class A state tournament in Sidney.

“She spends a lot of time working on her game, has worked hard over the summer and plays golf with her father,” Maidens’ coach Frank Ciez said. “She plays quite a bit of golf and it really shows with the types of expectations she has for herself. If you were to ask her if you had a good Divisionals, she would probably tell you “no.” That is just the type of competitor she is.”

Last season, Olson was a medalist at the Class B state golf tournament. This season she hopes to break into the top 15 at Sidney.

“We are rooting hard for her,” Ciez said. “She and dad have worked hard together and she has medalling at state as one of her goals. She has a lot of support from her mom and dad.”

Ciez said one of Olson’s biggest attributes that makes her a competitive golfer is her consistency.

“I think she has had some ups and downs but is pretty consistent,” Ciez said. “She is always trying to improve and that is the way golfers are. They try to accentuate the things they could have done better. They will say “I missed that putt” or “I missed that chip.” That is just how golfers talk.”

Olson isn’t the only Maiden to qualify for state. Madyson Running Crane also joined Olson as one of two Ronan girls golfers to qualify for state.

Running Crane finished 16th, firing a 115 at Divisionals. Running Crane also qualified as a freshman.

“Madyson has finished in the top 10 in two of our tournaments,” Ciez said. “She had a little block in the middle but was pretty happy with her score at Divisionals. She works extremely hard over at the course in Silver Fox and also gets a tremendous amount of support from her mom and dad.”

Camel qualifies for state

Ronan golfer Anthony Camel qualified after winning a seven-way tie for 30th place.

Camel won the tie-breaker by scoring a 48 on the back-nine, the lowest score on the back-nine of the seven competitors competing for the 30th place.

Ciez said all season Camel displayed his natural ability to be a strong golfer.

“He has really good hands, a fluid swing and he is capable of scoring well at state,” Ciez said. “In order for him to score really well, he will have to eliminate some of those “blow up holes” that really can mess up your score.”