Ryggs runs away at NWA
Ryggs Johnston didn’t need a tune-up tournament.
After a summer full of travel and golf, the Libby junior hit the ground running in his first tournament of the high school season, firing an 11-under 61 to win the Northwest A Kickoff tournament at Whitefish Lake Golf Club on Wednesday.
His round shattered the North Course record of 64, which was previously held by professional golfer Ryan Malby.
Johnston also broke his own junior course record of 65.
“I played pretty good,” Johnston said with a smile after turning in his scorecard.
“You can’t complain with a 61. I mean, there’s a couple of holes out there I can think about where I could have had it down to 59, because that’s kind of the magic number.
“I just tried to play really aggressive just to see if I could get a low number.”
Instead, Johnston happily settled for a 61, which matched his lowest score ever in competition. He also shot 61 in the first round of the Class B state tournament last year at the Marias Valley Golf Course in Shelby on his way to the all-class state record, which he already held after his freshman season.
Johnston entered the tournament intimately familiar with the North Course thanks to appearances in the annual 4th of July Tournament and high school tournaments held at the club.
The familiarity paid off.
“I’ve always liked the Whitefish North,” Johnston said. “It’s one of my favorite courses in the Valley.”
Why wouldn’t it be?
The Arizona State commit dominated the course on Wednesday, racing out to a sizable lead early with a 6-under mark on the front nine. Playing from the white tees, he drove the green on the par-4, 337-yard 13th and made his eagle putt. One of few slipups on the day came on No. 14, where Johnston three-putted for bogey.
“That kind of ruined the 59,” he said.
It didn’t come close to ruining his victory, however.
Johnston ran away from the field for a 13-stroke win over the Hamilton duo of Bryce Reed and Tristen Hanson, which led the Broncs to the boys’ team title with a total score of 320.
Polson finished a close second at 324, and Libby was a distant third at 350.
Whitefish captured the girls’ team title with a 399, narrowly edging Polson at 402. Libby was third with a team score of 446.
Frenchtown’s Courtney Ockum took home the girls’ individual title with an 11-over 83, beating Ronan’s Brooklyn Olson by five strokes.
Whitefish’s Ella Shaw finished third to lead four Bulldogs in the top 13.
Northwest A Kickoff Results
Whitefish Lake Golf Club
North Course
Wednesday
Boys Individual
Ryggs Johnston Libby 61
Bryce Reed Hamilton 74
Tristen Hanson Hamilton 75
Carson McDaniel Polson 75
Matt Hobbs Polson 76
Trey Kelley Polson 79
Zel Frost Stevensville 80
Derek Wolff Frenchtown 81
Tanner Hanson Hamilton 84
Tyler Langton Columbia Falls 85
Logan Lybbert Columbia Falls 86
Cameron Kahle Whitefish 86
Zach Taylor Hamilton 87
Ben Duhame Frenchtown 89
Trey Perkins Columbia Falls 90
Sean Craft Stevensville 92
Drew Brozek Whitefish 92
Sebo Sanders Libby 94
Calvin Nowlan Polson 94
Grant Kahle Whitefish 94
Anthony Camel Ronan 95
Ivan Yazvac Stevensville 95
Colby Emmoas Frenchtown 96
Hogan Kelley Polson 96
Michael McKay Corvallis 97
Nate Hull Corvallis 97
Andrew Freese Libby 97
Riley Vogel Libby 98
Colton Mauler Stevensville 102
Mark Pollock Browning 103
Alex Stein Whitefish 103
Trey Thompson Libby 104
Erik Miller Whitefish 104
Nick Draper Hamilton 106
Luke Schlimgen Corvallis 107
Matt Glenn Corvallis 107
Nic Maetello Frenchtown 107
Reush Powell Columbia Falls 112
Ashton Pintok Corvallis 118
DJ Laycock Columbia Falls 141
Girls Individual
Courtney Ockum Frenchtown 83
Brooklyn Olson Ronan 88
Ella Shaw Whitefish 91
Cali Cannon Polson 93
Maykayla Iabuff Browning 96
Gracie Young Whitefish 97
Amanda Farley Polson 98
Kelci Martin Hamilton 101
Berkley Ellis Polson 101
Sammee Bradeen Libby 102
Keelee Storrud Corvallis 103
Megan Archibald Whitefish 103
Anna Elm Whitefish 108
Cathrine Gustin Frenchtown 109
Harper Armitage Frenchtown 110
Esme Yarbrough Polson 110
Allie Snyder Libby 112
Kendall Reed Whitefish 112
Dainya Polk Browning 113
Sydney Croucher Libby 116
Kahlyn Hagness Libby 116
Haile Spear Hamilton 126
Chloe Patterson Corvallis 128
Signee Storrud Corvallis 129
Hylee Cannon Libby 133
Kalie Patterson Corvallis 149
Boys Team
Hamilton 320
Polson 324
Libby 350
Stevensville 369
Columbia Falls 373
Frenchtown 373
Whitefish 375
Corvallis 408
Browning Incomplete team
Ronan Incomplete team
Girls Team
Whitefish 399
Polson 402
Libby 446
Corvallis 509
Columbia Falls Did not compete
Stevensville Did not compete
Browning Incomplete Team
Frenchtown Incomplete Team
Hamilton Incomplete Team
Ronan Incomplete Team
Great Falls Invite
Flathead’s Marcella Mercer acclimated to high school golf quickly.
The freshman Bravette finished fourth out of 63 girls at the Great Falls Invite, which was held at Meadow Lark Country Club on Monday and Tuesday.
Mercer, the leader after the first round, shot 94 in Round 2 to drop to fourth, but that was still good enough for the best finish among area athletes.
Glacier’s AJ Grande was the top finisher among the boys. He fired a 74-79—153 to place 14th in a loaded field.
Joey Moore, the defending AA state champion from Billings West, posted a tournament-low 65 on Tuesday to overcome a one-shot deficit and take the boys’ individual title.
Bozeman’s Kameryn Basye closed with a 75 in the second and final round, the best score of the week among the girls, to capture the girls’ individual championship and lead the Hawks to a resounding 68-stroke victory in the girls’ team competition.
CMR scraped by Great Falls by three strokes to nab the boys’ team title.
Glacier finished 11th and Flathead was 14th among the boys’ teams, while the Wolfpack tied for ninth and the Bravettes were 11th on the girls’ side.
Great Falls Invite Results
Meadow Lark Country Club
Monday and Tuesday
Boys Individual
Joey Moore 71-65—136
Connor Mora 73-68—141
JR Small 72-70—142
Keaton Sunchild 72-70—142
Jace Rhodes 74-70—144
Duncan Hollar 72-72—144
Tucker Thomas 73-73—146
Ben Kaul 74-72—146
Braxton Humphrey 70-77—147
Cody Brunner 77-72—149
Blake Hasquet 77-74—151
Isaiah Weldon 79-73—152
Tucker Pietrykowski 76-76—152
AJ Grande 74-79—153
Thain Johnson 79-75—154
Rylan Periman 81-73—154
Will Hoagland 83-72—155
Jack Thorsen 79-76—155
Brady Cady 76-80—156
Jack Johnston 79-77—156
Garret Nielson 78-79—157
Blake Loberg 81-78—159
Adams Nedens 81-79—160
Austin Murphy 83-77—160
Bradley De Martino 85-77—162
Zach Harvey 86-78—164
Ryan Harvey 83-81—164
Shawn Ryan 85-79—164
Peyton Streiff 81-85—166
Jack Bright 86-80—166
Ben Huguet 85-81—166
Sam Elliott 85-82—167
Connr Kessler 87-80—167
Tucker Hauer 81-86—167
Tyler Hall 82-86—168
Brayden Aurich 87-81—168
Ezra Epperly 86-82—168
Hank Mesenko 85-83—168
Blake Heintzelman 86-82—168
River Duce 87-81—168
Ryan Domako 86-82—168
Gavin Anderson 84-85—169
Trevor Swanson 90-79—169
Kaven Noctor 84-86—170
Soren Rasmussen 87-83—170
Hunter Berke 89-82—171
Jaden Dennis 87-84—171
Cal Irvine 88-85—173
Holden Gehringer 87-87—174
Dylan Ahlgren 96-79—175
Carsten Quam 83-92—175
Luke Thomson 96-80—176
Tyson St John 85-92—177
Ben Pope 90-89—179
Jacksn Susott 96-83—179
Connor Kieckbusch 98-82—180
Caden Freeman 94-86—180
Gabe Whitman 87-93—180
Brendan Lindseth 94-87—181
Caden Willis 89-92—181
Ethan Purdy 93-89—182
Keaden Morisaki 92-90—182
Spencer Christy 95-88—183
Nico Micheletti 94-90—184
Cole Hasquett 93-91—184
Tyzer Furlong 92-96—188
Andrew Kober 93-98—191
Kade McCulloch 99-93—192
Ben Ebel 99-95—194
Ryan Thomson 97-97—194
Girls Individual
Kameryn Basye 79-75—154
Annika Danenhauer 79-78—157
Carrie Carpetenter 82-86—168
Marcella Mercer 78-94—172
Nevin Larsen 82-92—174
Laurel Ward 88-86—174
Cora Rosanova 83-92—175
Emily Garden 84-91—175
Reyla Williams 91-92—183
Gigi Montague 92-92—184
Ellie T. Jackson 91-93—184
Kyra Brockhausen 96-90—186
Peyton Kimmel 89-101—190
Jalen Wagner 95-97—192
Grace Jones 103-90—193
Lauren Williams 102-94—196
Blair Hebnes 106-91—197
Kielar Jones 106-91—197
Amanda King 99-99—198
Sadie Starcevich 101-98—199
Alexis Night 96-103—199
Meilyn Armstrong 104-96—200
Raelynn Bruyere 99-101—200
Kelliann Neary 103-98—201
Sev Armstrong 103-98—201
Sidney Overby 100-102—202
Aliya Morrow 97-105—202
Kylee Longenecker 97-105—202
Aly Meeker 101-102—203
Alivia Skeslien-Jenkins 107-97—204
Cierra Sundheim 106-99—205
Riley Coonan 104-102—206
Cassidy Lavin 102-105—207
Kelly Jones 102-105—207
KK Lawrence 109-98—207
Ella Prigge 102-106—208
Ginny Kerr 108-100—208
Sarah Qualls 111-98—209
Kate Trunkle 102-107—209
Morgan Sunchild 103-106—209
Grace Luoma 101-109—210
Hailey Iverson 108-102—210
Bailee Potratz 112-104—216
Hannah Fehres 105-111—216
Marrin Chapman 115-103—218
Morgan Zuidema 123-96—219
Katrina Adkins 113-106—219
Regan Lammers 107-117—224
Grace Litzinger 114-110—224
Sabryn Knight 116-108—224
Samantha Benson 107-119—226
Kennedy Lean 109-118—227
Erin Murphy 113-117—230
Andrea Porch 122-108—230
Maisie Hanson 117-114—231
Kinzee Peterson 119-114—233
Marissa Breum 115-120—235
Kate Nelson 107-129—236
Reide Barcus 121-120—241
Maycee Nowlen 125-116—241
Lexi Mcnew 122-128—250
Sheridan Stroop 131-141—272
Kalonna Gervais 140-137—277
Teagan Fee 114-Wd—114
Boys Team
CMR 295-293—588
Great Falls 305-286—591
Billings West 307-292—599
Bozeman 314-302—616
Missoula Sentinel 328-310—638
Billings Senior 322-325—647
Butte 329-323—652
Missoula Big Sky 340-324—664
Billings Skyview 342-326—668
Helena High 341-328—669
Glacier 339-331—670
Missoula Hellgate 345-327—672
Helena Capital 352-344—696
Flathead 358-342—700
Girls Team
Bozeman 329-331—660
Billings West 352-376—728
Helena High 400-376—776
Billings Skyview 396-384—780
Billings Senior 394-389—783
Butte 407-411—818
Helena Capital 427-397—824
Great Falls 423-428—851
Glacier 432-431—863
Missoula Sentinel 428-435—863
Flathead 428-454—882
CMR No Score
Havre No Score
Missoula Hellgate No Score
Missoula Big Sky No Score