GOLF: Libby's Johnston wins Division 3 tourney; Bigfork qualifies for state
ANACONDA — Libby freshman Ryggs Johnston didn’t flinch in his first postseason tournament, carving up Old Works Golf Club for a four-stroke victory in the Division 3 golf tournament on Tuesday.
Johnston shot a 6-under-par 66 despite a snowy day on the Jack Nicklaus course, pulling away from the field on the back nine to earn medalist honors. It is the fifth individual win of the prep season for the defending state junior amateur champion.
Loggers senior Jonny Cielak finished fifth with a 5-over round of 77.
Bigfork’s Joseph Potkonjak shot a 71 to lift the Vikings to an appearance in the state tournament. Bigfork finished tied for third as a team, winning a tiebreaker with Manhattan for the trophy.
The top four teams travel to the state tournament, held on May 17-18 at Pryor Creek Golf Club in Huntley. Missoula Loyola, led by freshman Bucky Crippen in fourth with a 76, won the boys title by 10 strokes. Anaconda finished second in its first year down from Class A, Copperheads senior Caleb Stetzner, the Class A champion in his last prep season, finished second after carding a 70.
Townsend finished one stroke out of contention in fifth place.
Ronan’s Fisher Niemeyer qualified individually for state, tying for 10th with an 83. The top 15 individual golfers advance to the state tournament to play the winners of the two other divisions.
The Three Forks girls stole the show on the other side of the tournament, placing all five golfers in the top 15, led by individual medalist Sydney Rockford, who shot an 86 to win by four strokes over teammate Shainy Mack. Mariah Marquez finished tied for fifth, Makayla Rowan in 11th and Taylor Jones 15th.
Eureka’s Darian Truman was the top local finisher, tying for eighth with a 103. Lions teammate Popla Swangsawai will also be headed to state after finishing 10th one stroke back.
Libby’s Lily Feeback was 13th with a 110 and the Ronan girls qualified as a team after a 14th place finish from Lauryn Hales.
The Class B girls will play their state tournament at Eagle Rock Golf Course in Billings next week. Both tournaments are hosted by Huntley Project High School.
Division 3 Golf Tournament
Tuesday
Old Works Golf Club, Anaconda
Par 72
BOYS
Team Scores — Loyola 337, Anaconda 347, Bigfork 359, Manhattan 359, Townsend 360, Three Forks 376, Ronan 380, Thompson Falls 381, Jefferson 383, Deer Lodge 422, Libby 440.
Individual Top 15 — 1, Ryggs Johnston, Libby, 66; 2, Caleb Stetzner, Anaconda, 70; 3, Joseph Potkonjak, Bigfork, 71; 4, Bucky Crippen, Loyola, 76; 5, Jonny Cielak, Libby, 77; T6, Joey Peter, Manhattan, 78; T6, Caleb Bates, Thompson Falls, 78; 8, Jaden Graveley, Townsend, 80; 9, Thomas Sellman, Loyola, 81; T10, Scott DeMars, Townsend, 83; T10, Fisher Niemeyer, Ronan, 83; T12, Bryan Swanson, Loyola, 85; T12, Josh Neth, Manhattan, 85; T12, Dylan Beckman, Thompson Falls, 85; 15, Bryce Napier, Anaconda, 87.
MISSOULA LOYOLA (337) — Bucky Crippen 76, Thomas Sellman 81, Bryan Swanson 85, Sam Bryan 95, Sean Kaleva, Sean 101.
ANACONDA (347) — Caleb Stetzner 70, Bryce Napier 87, Ricco Ungaretti 93, Ethan Peterson 97, Dusty Gervais 116.
BIGFORK (359) — Joseph Potkonjak 71, Jonathan Landon 91, Jacob Haberlock 98, Colton Stodghill 99, Augie Emslie 101.
MANHATTAN (359) — Joey Peter 78, Josh Neth 85, Nathan McCormack 94, Nathan Van Dyke 102, Steven Cantalupo 106.
TOWNSEND (360) — Jaden Graveley 80, Scott DeMars 83, Thomas Brown 94, Cody Graveley 103, Easton Hatfield 108.
THREE FORKS (376) — Zane Howey 88, John Jennings 94, Donnald Miller 96, Josh Massey 98, Riley Jensen 109.
RONAN (380) — Firsher Niemeyer 83, Tanner Olson 90, James Farmer 101, Anthony Camel 106, Matt McGuyer 135.
THOMPSON FALLS (381) — Caleb Bates 78, Dylan Beckman 85, Michael Johnson 106, Kyran Kenison 112, Joe Frields 118.
JEFFERSON (383) — AJ Eckmann 88, Jered Padmos 88, Josh Eckmann 98, Glenn March 109.
DEER LODGE (422) — Kaehl Lowery 97, Koby Owens 100, John Bannon 112, Taryn Korang 113, Greydon Nicholson 136.
LIBBY (440) — Ryggs Johnston 66, Jonny Cielak 77, Zander Peterson 139, Andrew Freese 158, Buddy Doolin 186.
EUREKA (NS) — Eddie Croucher 100, Jacob Tullis 139, Shane Stramer 170.
GIRLS
Team Scores — Three Forks 385, Thompson Falls 452, Loyola Sacred Heart 456, Ronan 478, Eureka 487, Anaconda 522.
Individual Top 15 — 1, Sydney Rockford, Three Forks, 86; 2, Shainy Mack, Three Forks, 90; 3, Lynzee Dexter, Townsend 94; 4, Katy Fagg, Loyola 96; T5, Madison Purdy, Loyola 102; T5, Jessica Bronner, Thompson Falls, 102; T5, Mariah Marquez, Three Forks, 102; T8, Darian Truman, Eureka, 103; T8, Brooke Jacobs, Thompson Falls, 103; 10, Popla Swangsawai, Eureka, 104; 11, Makayla Rowan, Three Forks, 107; 12, Elsie Brown, Thompson Falls, 109; 13, Lily Feeback, Libby, 110; 14, Lauryn Hales, Ronan, 111; 15, Taylor Jones, Three Forks, 114.
THREE FORKS (385) — Sydney Rockford 86, Shainy Mack 90, Mariah Marquez 102, Makayla Rowan 107, Taylor Jones 114.
THOMPSON FALLS (452) — Jessica Bronner 102, Brooke Jacobs 103, Elsie Brown 109, Whitney Micklon 138, Julia Vanicek 152.
MISSOULA LOYOLA (456) — Katy Fagg 96, Madison Purdy 102, Emily Burt 123, Jordan Huffman 135, Rosie McCormack 139.
RONAN (478) — Lauryn Hales 111, Tania Ulutoa 120, Heather Pospishil 123, Kaitlyn Woirhaye 124, Brooklyn Olson 132.
EUREKA (487) — Darian Truman 103, Popla Swangsawai 104, Peyton Benson 131, Lacey Marquardt 149.
ANACONDA (522) — Brooke Conrady 115, Haley Davis 121, Brooke Worl 140, Lauren Stoppler 146, Olivia McQueary 161.
TOWNSEND (NS) — Morgan Nunn 118, Bella Brown 154.
LIBBY (NS) — India Croucher 133.
BIGFORK (NS) — Rachel Whitney 155.