T-Falls golf teams optimistic heading into Class B season
Thompson Falls junior Cael Thilmony tees off during last year's Gary Thompson Invitational tournament at Rivers Bend golf course just outside of T-Falls. Thilmony is among a solid cast of returnees for this year's team. Chuck Bandel/VP-MI)
Things were pretty good last year for the Thompson Falls golf team, led by Ellie Baxter’s standout junior season.
They are expected to be even better this year for a team that had no seniors and returns a core of solid high school golfers.
Baxter, a multi-sport standout who also excels in volleyball, basketball and cross country, capped her junior year as a golfer with a fifth place finish at the state tournament last May.
“Ellie Baxter comes back with great experience and now has a team of girls to help provide an actual girl’s team score for the Lady Hawks (the Hawks were without the minimum number of participants for a team score last season),” said head coach Doree Thilmony. “The girls joining the team are young and are excited to learn the sport and have great attitudes to help them grow during the season”.
Baxter was selected to the All-state team last year, as well as the all-Divisional tournament following her ninth place finish at that state qualifier.
The boys team should also be improved over the solid unit that teed off last season, paced by junior Cael Thilmony, who has qualified for the Divisional tournament each of his first three years as a Blue Hawks golfer.
Also returning are Colton Wormwood and Jakob Molina, both of whom will be looking to advance their skills and each of which has the potential to qualify for the state tournament.
“Cael has three years experience in the divisional round,” coach Thilmony said. “We are hoping he and Colton will break through to the state tournament this year”.
Coach Thilmony is need-less-to-say optimistic this could be a good year for the Blue Hawks.
“The boys team has some good experience with Wormwood (a senior) and Cael having good experience under their belts,” she said. “The new boys joining the team have great focus and attitudes for growth and are looking to contribute to the boys’ team scores this season. It’s been a while since Thompson Falls has brought both a boys and girls team to compete. The number are up participation-wise and we are excited to hit the course and see our team scores develop throughout the season”.
Thilmony said underclassmen coming up through the ranks, including eighth graders Addie Deal and Aubrey Baxter, along with freshmen Emma Claridge and Mason Park will be counted on to provide a boost to this year’s group. Also expected to contribute in a positive and significant way are senior Alec Sweeden and junior Theo Nygaard.
In essence, the level of returning players with previous success, combined with positive attitudes and the desire to get better, Thilmony said, may well lead to a good year.
“Ellie is looking to compete at the State Tournament again this year,” she said. “She looks to be the leader of this newly developed girls team. The boys team has yet to have anyone break through to the State Tournament, but they are hungry to do this and with the maturity that has developed with these young men, I believe they will give it a great run this year”.
Thompson Falls opens its 2023 season in Hamilton Thursday, March 30th. The Blue Hawks and Lady Hawks will host the Gary Thompson Invitational at Rivers Bend Golf Course, their home course, Saturday, April 22. The initial schedule shows them competing in 10 area golf meets this Spring.