Blue Pony golf teams complete the journey

Once upon a time, few people, if anybody associated with high school sports in Montana thought that the fall season would last even long enough to see state golf champions crowned. But the naysayers turned out to be wrong as the Class A state tournament took place last Thursday and Friday at the Butte Country Club.

And while no Havre Blue Ponies garnered state titles, Havre High senior Josh Warp finished his Pony career with an exciting two days in Butte. Warp became the first Blue Pony boy to earn Class A All-State honors since Dustin Haas, as warp fired rounds of 80 and 77 to place fifth in the Class A boys individual race last weekend. Warp's 36-hole total of 157 was just 11 strokes behind Whitefish star Cameron Kahle, who won the boys individual title in a playoff for the second straight year.

"It was a great tournament for Josh Warp," HHS head coach George Ferguson said. "You could see this building with Josh as the season went along. He just kept shooting better and better scores as the year went on, and his swing was just so dang consistent. He had a bump in the road at divisionals, but looking back on that now, that was probably good for him. He got a bad round out the way, and then his two rounds at state, he was really, really good.

"So it was exciting to watch him play like that," Ferguson continued. "And very exciting for him to end his senior year the way he did. What a great run, and I'm very proud of him."

Ferguson said in all, he was proud of all nine of this Ponies at the state tournament. While the weather was perfect, the Butte Country Club played very tough, and the course proved a stern challenge for both Pony teams. After taking third last week at the Eastern A, the Havre boys shot 352-360 at state to place eighth out of nine teams, while the HHS girls finished ninth out of 10 teams with a two-day total score of 982.

"It was a very challenging two days for our teams as a whole," Ferguson said. "I know all of our kids were pretty disappointed by how they scored, but any the end of the day, a lot of teams struggled on that course. It wasn't just us. So I don't think our kids have anything to hang their heads about. They battled. And I'm very proud of all of them."

The Pony boys did have high hopes going into state, after posting the fourth-best score in Class A in the divisional round. But Havre struggled to keep pace, ultimately ending with a 712. After Warp, junior Caleb Spangler was the next best score for the Ponies, shooting 91-91, while senior Caleb Chambliss came in at 90-95, and juniors Kale Reno, 91-99 and Theron Peterson 100-97, rounding out the scoring for the Ponies.

"It was a tough two days for our boys team, because I know they felt they could have played much better," Ferguson said. "I know they had lofty goals as a team, and they didn't quite there. But, man, I couldn't have been more proud of all five of those guys. It has still been a great season for them, and they have improved so much. They really became a very good team, and they should be very proud of the season they had."

Pride is how Ferguson also felt about the Blue Pony girls at the conclusion of Friday's round in Butte. Qualifying for state was a big step for the Ponies, and though they struggled while they were there, it was still a great season on the links for them.

"Our girls have come so far," Ferguson said. "All of them improved so much. I know they struggled in Butte. It was tough, especially for our seniors Jocelyn Staples and Carlee Kato, but at the end of the day, that team accomplished so much, and they should hold their heads high because they have been awesome this whole year."

Staples paced the Ponies with scores of 105-110, which put her in 33rtd place overall In what was her second straight trip to the state tourney. First-timers Sylvie McKeon-Hanson (244), Kato (248) and Katharine Greenwood (275) rounded out the scoring for the Pony girls, while Laurel won its third straight girls team title, and Corvallis' Macee Greenwood took medalist honors. Whitefish also captured the boys title, stopping Laurel's winning streak on that side.

But, medals and trophies won't be the only thing the 2020 golf season is remembered for. Instead, it will be the season that was completed during a global pandemic. And while Ferguson said that the challenges of conducting even golf, which has been deemed a very safe activity during coronavirus have been daunting, in the end, going to state with both the boys and girls teams will be something he won't soon forget.

"It was a tremendous accomplishment that we all made it that far," Ferguson said. "The season had a lot of doubt in the beginning, and it was never easy. We asked a lot out of our kids this year. So, to go that far, to play all of the really good golf our kids played this year, and to take both our boys and girls teams to state in the same year, which is not something that happens all the time, it was just a tremendous season, and one I won't ever forget. And at the end of it all, I'm just really proud of all of our kids who played golf this season, proud of all the kids who went to state and gave it their all. This season has meant a lot to all of us. It's historic, and it's been an honor to be the Blue Pony golf coach during all of this."

Class A

Butte Country Club

Final round

Boys

Team scores:​ Whitefish 306-306-611, Billings Central 324-321-645, Laurel 328-332-660, Livingston 343-345-688, Hamilton 352-339-691, Polson 345-348-693, Frenchtown 351-360-711, Havre 252-360-712, Lewistown 350-373-723

Individuals:​ 1. T1. Cameron Kahle, Whitefish, 72-74-146, and Billy Smith, Whitefish, 70-76-146; 3. Carson Hackmann, Laurel, 72-76-148; 4. Nick Pasquarello, Billings Central, 77-76-153; T5. Josh Warp, Havre, 80-77-157, and Luke Schlimgen, Corvallis, 82-75-157; 7. Conor Walsh, Billings Central, 80-78-158; T8. Reese Jensen, Billings Central, 78-81-159, and Marcus Kilman, Whitefish, 78-81-159; T10. Tanner Hanson, Hamilton, 79-81-160, and Johnny Nix, Whitefish, 85-75-160; 12. Kade Ewalt, Laurel, 82-81-163; 13. Hunter Emerson, Polson, 87-77-164; T14. Danyk Jacobsen, Livingston, 82-83-165, and Landen Gradwohl, Laurel, 84-81-165; 16. Jake Henderson, Lewistown, 80-86-166; 17. Ryder Lee, Miles City, 86-82-168; 18. Ben Duhame, Frenchtown, 83-86-169; 19. Carson Hupka, Polson, 85-85-170; T20. Liam Higgins, Livingston, 81-91-172, Kamas Romney, Frenchtown, 84-88-172, and Matthew Hansen, Sidney, 85-87-172; T23. Jackson Heath, Hamilton, 88-85-173, and Bryce Hayes, Livingston, 94-79-173; T25. Torrin Ellis, Polson, 87-87-174, Tate Hazen, Sidney, 88-86-174, Cody Brothwell, Columbia Falls, 90-84-174, and Bjorn Olson, Whitefish, 90-84-174; T29. Fischer Brown, Lewistown, 88-88-176, and Max Cianflone, Hamilton, 91-85-176; 31. Will Tipton, Billings Central, 91-86-177; 32. Malachi Stewart, Billings Central, 89-89-178; T33. Taven Coon, Glendive, 90-88-178, Mason Anderson, Corvallis, 91-87-178, and Dylon Kominek, Frenchtown, 92-86-178; 36. Houston Dunn, Livingston, 88-92-180; T37. Truman Pierce, Lewistown, 83-99-182, Caleb Spangler, Havre, 91-91-182, and Cole Dickemore, Hamilton, 94-88-182; 40. Eli Weisenberger, Laurel, 90-94-184; T41. Christian Lund, Polson, 86-99-185, and Caleb Chamblis, Havre, 90-95-185; T43. Luke Sova, Columbia Falls, 97-90-187, and Parker Puyear, Dillon, 98-89-187; 45. Emerson Widmer, Hamilton, 95-93-188; 46. Chance Marshall, Livingston, 92-97-189; T47. Kale Reno, Havre, 91-99-190, Trey Ewalt, Laurel, 93-97-190, Braden Kindopp, Sidney, 93-97-190, Dillon Pretty On Top, Ronan, 95-95-190, and Lane Clark, Columbia Falls, 99-91-190; 52. Ruben Couture, Ronan, 94-98-192; T53. Eli Warner, Frenchtown, 93-100-193, and Kelton Simonson, East Helena, 99-94-193; 55. Kaden Harding, Miles City, 106-89-195; T56. Logan McNally, Frenchtown, 92-104-196, and Landon Haddock, Libby, 105-91-196; 58. Theron Peterson, Havre, 100-97-197; 59. Carson Barta, Lewistown, 99-100-199; 60. Mason Gotham, Libby, 97-105-202; 61. Carter Wichman, Lewistown, 102-100-202; 62. Ray Morrison, Dillon, 104-102-206; 63. Michael Smith, Polson, 104-106-210; 64. Connor Brown, East Helena, 116-103-219; 65. Dylan Buckner, Libby, 117-126-243..

Girls

Team scores:​ Laurel 338-342-680, Sidney 395-381-776, Livingston 404-404-808, Whitefish 417-392-809, Polson 424-387-811, Corvallis 421-405-826, Ronan 426-424-850, Hamilton 439-429-868, Havre 493-489-982, Lewistown 519-490-1,009

Individuals:​ 1. Macee Greenwood, Corvallis, 75-78-153; 2. Alivia Webinger, Laurel, 80-80-160; 3. Hannah Adams, Laurel, 82-86-168; 4. Haylee Adams, Laurel, 84-85-169; 5. Karly Volk, Sidney, 88-85-173; 6. Aly Rose, Hamilton 91-89-180; 7. Sarah Karanjai, Sidney, 94-88-182; 8. Breana Jensen, Laurel, 92-91-183; T9. Harper Armitage, Frenchtown, 91-93-184, and Karsyn Swigart, Miles City, 96-88-184; 11. Ellie Thiel, Polson, 99-92-191; T12. Ashlan Mortensen, Livingston, 96-96-192, and Kendall Reed, Whitefish, 104-88-192; 14. Jasmine Oyler, Stevensville, 99-95-194; 15. Anyah Cripe, Whitefish, 102-94-196; 16. Jill SureChief, Browning, 98-99-197; 17. Ashley Maki, Polson, 109-88-197; 18. Macao Jackson Ronan 96-102-198; T19. Jessica Gubler, Livingston, 99-101-200, and Molly Cooney, Laurel, 102-98-200; 21. Makenna Woody, Whitefish, 102-99-201; T22. Elsa Cajune, Livingston, 101-104-205, and Grace Bintz, Frenchtown, 103-102-205; T24. Sami Knapp, Corvallis, 105-102-207, and Adriana Beyerle, Sidney, 106-101-207; T26. Catherine Gustin, Frenchtown, 102-106-208, and Alyssa Pretty On Top, Ronan, 106-102-208; T28. Liz Opalka, Columbia Falls, 103-108-211, and Kara Allen, Livingston, 108-103-211; 30. Kylee Seifert, Polson, 104-108-212; T31. Kiaralynn Weidinger, Lockwood, 106-108-214, and Ella Norby, Sidney, 107-107-214; 33. Jocelyn Staples, Havre, 105-110-215; 34. Brooklyn Brown, Hamilton, 117-99-216; 35. Clare Konen, Polson, 120-99-219; T36. Kylee Neimeyer, Ronan, 110-112-222, and Madyson Running Crane, Ronan, 114-108-222; 38. Carly Garrick, Polson, 112-111-223; 39. Maddie Sramek, Whitefish, 112-112-224; 40. Signee Storrud, Corvallis, 111-116-227; 41. McKinley Murray, Hamilton, 121-110-231; 42. Revonna Alamo, Hardin, 122-111-233; 43. Brittney Wagner, Browning, 119-119-238; T44. Kenzie Bender, Billings Central, 114-125-239, Emilee Iverson, Sidney, 119-120-239, Izzy Mecklenburg, Lewistown,122-117-239, and Ava Leopold, Corvallis, 130-109-239; T48. Hayley Bender, Hamilton, 110-131-241, and Brooke Blue, Browning, 124-117-241; T50. Cadence Blankenship, Miles City, 121-121-242, and Anna Gremaux, Lewistown, 123-119-242; 52. Sylvie McKeon-Hanson, Havre, 114-130-244; 53. Mariah Fogle, Lewistown, 124-123-247; 54. Carlee Kato, Havre, 128-120-248; 55. Kaylinn Turney, Dillon, 126-123-249; 56. Gemma Sharples, Glendive, 126-126-252; 57. Aubrielle Grandpre, Livingston, 135-119-254; 58. Emma Hollingsworth, Hamilton, 124-132-256; 59. Kayley Svendsbye, Libby, 126-132-258; T60. Erin Hafemann, Hardin, 126-134-260, and Jori Haugen, Billings Central, 127-133-260; T62. Gianna Gutowsky, East Helena, 145-130-275, and Katharine Greenwood, Havre, 146-129-275; 64. BrookLynn Behl, Lewistown, 150-131-281.