Golfers chip in during state
FAIRMONT – Both the Plains and Thompson Falls golf teams brought their season to a close at the state tournament this week.
The tournament took place on Tuesday, May 20 and Wednesday, May 21.
The two-day competition drew a large crowd of supporters, with interested individuals traveling to Fairmont from all over the state to view the best boys and girl golfers the state’s high schools have to offer.
After tying in first place with Loyola Sacred Heart in the divisional tournament, the Bluehawks had their eye set on the prize. They had worked all season long to match-up with Loyola and they were finally able to show their full strength. As they entered into the state competition, spirits were high, but the opposition turned out tougher than expected.
The boys finished in fourth place behind Columbus, Loyola and Huntley Project with a two-day combined score of 660.
Caleb Bates ended the day in a three-way tie in third place. Bates had 77 strokes the first day and on the second day, he was able to shave that down by five strokes for a combined total of 149. Klee Jackson of Columbus and Jared Geer of Loyola also ended the day with 149.
Bluehawk Dalton Hooten finished in twelfth place, tied with Tom Bolkcom of Red Lodge. Their final for the week was 158 strokes. On the first day, Dalton had 84 strokes, and improved significantly on the second day, bringing his total down to 74.
As for Plains, Jade LaDeaux was the lone representative of her school.
On the first day of competition LaDeaux shot a 117 over the challenging 18 hole course, noted for its high elevation, challenging greens, and a fifth hole that boasts the longest distance from tee to pin in the entire state of Montana.
The second and final day of competition saw LaDeaux shave six strokes from her score, finishing the final hole of the day with a round score of 111.
Her cumulative score over the two-day tournament was 228 strokes, missing the cut, which settled at 199.
Nevertheless, the Plains sophomore has a lot to be proud of after a successful campaign for the Trotters golf team.
Plains Head Coach Rich Magera noted it was definitely a different experience for LaDeaux to play in front of such a large crowd and the sophomore handled it very well.
Additionally, the skill level at the state competition was certainly a step up from what the Plains team normally faces, with the girls competition featuring 63 talented young golfers.
“Great for a sophomore to face this level of competition, this week was a positive experience for her,” Magera said.
With the season officially over, Magera had a chance to reflect on his team’s year and he was positive about the development he saw throughout the spring season. He is looking forward to next year, when his young golfers will be able to continue their impressive progress.
“Everybody did well, the golfers have all improved remarkably over the season,” Magera said.
Magera added some of the team’s golfers were able to shave over 20 strokes from their average scores, an impressive accomplishment.
The team will celebrate the season with a barbeque next week and will most likely spend a portion of their summer continuing their progress on the links.
The head coach for Thompson Falls, Gary Thompson, was unable to be reached for comment.