Golf team makes quick improvements to open season

Two weeks into the golf season and Whitefish High School’s teams have already traveled to Missoula, Seeley Lake, Ronan, Shelby, Columbia Falls, Frenchtown and played at home at Whitefish Lake Golf Club.  

“The fact that we’ve gotten better every tournament is a highlight,” said Shaun Forrest, Bulldog head coach. 

They played about nine holes at the Missoula tournament to open the season before stopping play early due to lightning. The next day they played at Double Arrow in Seeley Lake where freshman Fin Hobart proved himself by shooting a 78. 

The Bulldogs boys team is experienced but young. Seniors Riley Brown and Otto Klein, junior Aiden Rickels, sophomores Ashton Taylor and Mason O’Neil, C.J. Thew, Fin Hobart and Colby Minton are leaders on the squad. 

On Aug. 27 the Whitefish boys finished second at the Whitefish Invitational golf meet by one stroke to Corvallis. It was a strong performance given that 10 of the 12 Western A boys teams competed. The Whitefish girls finished third behind Hamilton and Frenchtown.  

For the girls team, Forrest said he’s “excited to see as they play more together where they’ll end up.” 

Stella Jaffe has had strong performances so far, placing fourth at the same Aug. 27 Whitefish Invitational with an 88, while Rhylee Scott was sixth with a 91. Fellow senior Ava Zigneno has also been a leader for the squad so far this year.  

The teams were back on home turf for the Whitefish Triangular Sept. 3. Also slated for next week is a meet at Eagle Bend for the Bigfork Invitational on Thursday and at the Polson Country Club for the Polson Invite Monday, Sept. 9.  

Whitefish Invitational  

Aug. 27, Whitefish Lake GC South  

BOYS 

Team scores — 1, Corvallis 321; 2, Whitefish 322; 3, Columbia Falls 339; 4, Ronan 350; 5, Hamilton 361; 6, Frenchtown 361; 7, Bigfork 394; 8, Browning 406; 9, Polson 413; 10, Libby 452.  

Individual Top 15 

Oliver Rowe, Ronan    72  

Tate Jessop, Corvallis    76  

Otto Klein, Whitefish    77  

Aiden Rickels, Whitefish    78  

Tag Jessop, Corvallis    79  

Winslow Peters, Corvallis    79  

CJ Thew, Whitefish    81  

Coby Powell, Corvallis    81  

Issac Flammond, Browning    82  

Tyce O’Connell, Hamilton    84  

Cooper Clary, Ronan    84  

Tucker Gonzales, Columbia Falls    84  

Dylan Wirt, Corvallis    85  

Will Pickard, Columbia Falls    86  

Finn Hobert, Whitefish    86  

Mason O’Neil, Whitefish    86  

GIRLS 

Team scores — 1, Hamilton 387; 2, Frenchtown 393; 3, Whitefish 406; 4, Bigfork 431; 5, Polson 486.   

Individual Top 15 

Katie Lewis, Frenchtown    75  

Cameron Burnett, Hamilton    79  

Keni Wade, Bigfork    82  

Stella Jaffe, Whitefish    88  

Bryn Cianflone, Hamilton    90  

Ryhlee Scott, Whitefish    91  

Aubrey Tollefson, Frenchtown    96  

Hanna Lytton, Ronan    97  

Addy Bowler, Columbia Falls    98  

Kirsten Race, Corvallis    104  

Kila Cannon, Polson    106  

Bridget Anderson, Frenchtown    106  

Heather Beerman, Hamilton    108  

Ellie Hattlestad, Hamilton    110  

Rhain Hollingsworth, Hamilton    111