Mercer, McDaniel win Missoula Invite
MISSOULA — Flathead freshman Marcella Mercer won her first high school tournament in only her second outing, taking the Missoula County Invite on Tuesday at Canyon River Golf Club.
Mercer shot a final-round 83, storming through her final nine holes, scoring a 39 to pull away the field for a two-day total of 167, winning by six strokes.
“I played better today than I did yesterday,” Mercer said. “I definitely had some tough holes. Most of my drives went really straight, so that’s helpful.
“I had some pretty good pitch shots onto the green that left me about three feet out so I could make good birdie or par putts. I had a couple of trouble shots, but other than that my round went really good.
“Today was a really great experience.”
Mercer led after the first day in her first high school tournament last week in Great Falls, but had a rough closing round. She didn’t leave a doubt in Tuesday’s round, finishing at least three strokes better than the rest of the field each day.
Glacier’s Kate Trunkle shot 189 to finish in fourth place and help the Wolfpack to a fourth-place team finish.
The Bravettes didn’t have enough players to record a team score, fielding only three girls.
Polson’s Carson McDaniel won the boys side of the competition, holding off the field despite a 3-over-par 75 in the final round, finishing at 1-over 145 to win the tournament by three strokes.
McDaniel blazed around the Missoula Country Club on Monday, building a seven-stroke lead, an advantage that helped him keep Sentinel’s Jack Johnston and Glacier’s AJ Grande at bay. Johnston and Grande each shot 1-under 71 at Canyon River, but tough first rounds kept them in second and third place, respectively.
Polson’s Matt Hobbs finished in sixth place and Tray Kelley in ninth to help the Pirates finish second overall at the meet, 13 strokes back of Sentinel. Glacier finished in sixth and Flathead eighth, the top Brave golfer, senior Sam Elliott, finishing in 18th place.
MCPS Invitational
Tuesday
at Canyon River GC (at Missoula CC, Monday)
Par 72
Final Round
BOYS
Team scores: ?Missoula Sentinel 627, Polson 640, Hamilton 649, Missoula Big Sky 658, Missoula Hellgate 672, Glacier 673, Helena Capital 681, Flathead 694, Stevensville 699, Helena 701.
Top 20 finishers — 1, Carson McDaniel, Pol, 70-75-145; 2, Jack Johnston, Sent, 77-71-148; 3, AJ Grande, Glac, 82-71-153; 4, Zach Harvey, Big, 77-78-155; 5, Tristan Hanson, Ham, 81-75-156; 6, Matt Hobbs, Pol, 79-78-157; 7, Blake Hasquet, Sent, 83-75-158; 8, Jaden Dennis, Sent, 79-80-159; 9, Tray Kelley, Pol, 80-80-160; 10, Bryce Reed, Ham, 80-80-160; 11, Hank Mesenko, Big, 79-82-161; 12, Shawn Ryan, Sent, 82-80-162; 13, Zel Frost, Stevi, 79-83-162; 14, Brayden Aurich, Glac, 80-83-163; 15, Connor Kessler, Sent, 83-82-165; 16, Tanner Hanson, Ham, 83-82-165; 17, Trevor Swanson, Cap, 81-84-165; 18, Sam Elliot, Flat, 86-79-165; 19, Ivan Yazvac, Stevi, 80-86-166; 20, River Duce, Hellgate, 87-79-166.
Team scoring
Sentinel: Blake Hasquet 83-75-158, Jack Johnston 77-71-148, Shawn Ryan 82-80-162, Connor Kessler 83-82-165, Jaden Dennis 79-80-159.
Polson: Carson McDaniel 70-75-145, Matt Hobbs 79-78-157, Tray Kelley 80-80-160, Hogan Kelley 90-88-178, Calvin Nowlen 99-95-194.
Hamilton: Tristan Hanson 81-75-156, Bryce Reed 80-80-160, Tanner Hanson 83-82-165, Zach Taylor 87-81-168, Cannon Hawkes 92.
Big Sky: Zach Harvey 77-78-155, Ryan Harvey 94-80-174, Hank Mesenko 79-82-161, Blake Heintzelman 84-84-168, Caden Knight 113-136-249.
Hellgate: River Duce 87-79-166, Ryan Domako 82-87-169, Ben Huguet 85-83-168, Soren Rassmussen 87-82-169, Kade McColluch 88-95-183.
Glacier: AJ Grande 82-71-153, Brayden Aurich 80-83-163, Hunter Berke 89-93-182, Caden Willis 89-89-178, Ethan Purdy 88-91-179.
Capital: Gabe Witham 88-85-173, Holden Gehringer 94-85-179, Trevor Swanson 81-84-165, Cal Irvine 83-83-166, Caswell Bloomquist 92-108-200.
Flathead: Sam Elliot 86-79-165, Ezra Epperly 82-86-168, Kaden Morisaki 90-89-179, Spencer Christy 87-95-182, Ryan Thomson 91-96-187.
Stevensville: Zel Frost 79-83-162, Ivan Yazvac 80-86-166, Jayce Painter 79-101-180, Jacob Watters 97-101-198, Sean Craft 97-94-191.
Helena: Austin Murphy 92-77-169, Gavin Anderson 87-94-181, Tucker Haver 92-86-178, Luke Thomson 86-87-173, Cole Hasquet 93-104-197.
GIRLS
Team scores: Helena 762, Helena Capital 819, Missoula Sentinel 829, Glacier 866. Flathead, Hellgate, Polson, Big Sky, Hamilton no team scores.
Top 20 finishers — 1, Marcella Mercer, Flat, 84-83-167; 2, Emily Garden, Sent, 87-86-173; 3, Sev Armstrong, Hellgate, 92-94-186; 4,Kate Trunkle, Glac, scorecard playoff, 96-93-189; 5, Reyla Williams, Helena, 95-94-189; 6, Grace Jones, Helena, 100-90-190; 7, Kylee Longnecker, Cap, 89-102-191; 8, Ginny Kerr, Helena, 103-89-192; 9, Alexis Knight, Big, 104-90-194; 10, Kielar Jones, Cap, 97-100-197; 11, Cali Cannon, Pol, 94-104-198; 12, Pilar Santos, Helena, 99-105-204; 13, Kelci Martin, Ham, 100-108-208; 14, Raela Reinhart, Sent, 103-106-209; 15, Erin Murphy, Big, 103-107-210; 16, Esme Yarborough, Pol, 103-108-211; 17, Cassidy Caylin, Flat, 99-114-213; 18, Lexi McNew, Cap, 107-107-214; 19, Hannah Iverson, Glac, 110-109-219; 20, Sabryn Knight, Big, 123-96-219.
Team scoring
Helena: Reyla Williams 95-94-189, Ginny Kerr 103-89-192, Grace Jones 100-90-190, Pilar Santos 99-105-204, Lauren Williams 92.
Capital: Kielar Jones 97-100-197, Kylee Longnecker 89-102-191, KK Lawerence 117-114-231, Marron Chapman 103, Lexi McNew 107-107-214.
Sentinel: Emily Garden 87-86-173, Raela Reinhart 103-106-209, Andrea Porch 115-109-224, Kate Nelson/Marissa Breum 109-116-225, Olivia Boehm 126-114-240.
Glacier: Kate Trunkle 96-93-189, Hailey Iverson 112-113-225, Hannah Iverson 110-109-219, Avery Andersen 112-121-233.
Flathead: Marcella Mercer 84-83-167, Cassidy Caylin 99-114-213, Maisie Harrison 121-123-244.
Hellgate: Sev Armstrong 92-94-186, Lane Mannix 130-121-251.
Polson: Cali Cannon 94-104-198, Esme Yarborough 103-108-211, Berkley Ellis 122-108-230, Amanda Farley 108.
Big Sky: Alexis Knight 104-90-194, Sabryn Knight 123-96-219, Erin Murphy 103-107-210.
Hamilton: Kelci Martin 100-108-208, Haile Spear 116-118-234.