Thompson Falls hosts Gary Thompson Invite

It was, as Thompson Falls head golf coach Doree Thiilmony said, “lots of golf.”

This past week, T-Falls and other high schools with golf programs in this area and beyond had a links feast, beginning this past Wednesday and Thursday with the Tobacco Valley Invitational hosted by Eureka’s Lincoln County High.

And Saturday was another bigger golf event, the Gary Thompson Invitational, T Falls High’s annual event at River’s Bend Golf Course.

It was lots of golf, and lots of good golf for golf fans.

Anaconda High won the boys team title at the Eureka event, which was played over two days at two different golf courses near Eureka. The Copperhead boys finished with a team score of plus 98 over the fairways and greens of Indian Springs golf course Wednesday, then the same situation at the Wilderness Club.

Loyola’s boys were second with a +107 score, while T Falls was sixth in the boys standings.

Bonners Ferry, Idaho won the girls team competition with a +198 score, while Florence-Carlton’s girls were second at +296. Thompson Falls girls were fifth, +389.

The two days featured challenging terrain and cold, windy conditions.

In the featured event of the weekend, the Gary Thompson Invitational at River’s Bend, Thilmony said the Thompson Falls event was a success despite some cold weather and wind at the beginning of the tournament.

“We hosted the 5th Annual Gary Thompson Invite Saturday,” Thilmony said. “We had a bit of a cold start, but as the day progressed, the sun warmed us up and the round finished with a beautiful, sunny day”.

She also had praise for management of River’s Bend.

“We appreciate River’s Bend for allowing us to host a tournament on a Saturday, as the golfers did not have to miss any school to attend,” she said.

“The course was in great shape,” Thilmony said of the River’s Bend course. “We thank River’s Bend Golf Course for closing down the course for our students to compete. We had 46 boys and 13 girls compete. It was nice to have some home course advantage. Our course offers narrow fairways with an abundance of larger pines to border it and small greens to target.

“This type of course has helped train our golfers to create good, accurate contact with the ball and offers great chipping practice."

In addition to the play of Cael Thilmony and Theo, the coach said she was happy with the overall progress made by T Falls golfers Blake Shusterman, Braxton Dorscher and Chase Helvey.

Thilmony also singled out improved golf by Solveig Nygaard and Naccarini as positives for the Lady Hawks.

Anaconda’s Tanner Cromwell was the individual boys champ at the Eureka event with a two-day total score of 151, six over par.

Thompson Falls senior Cael Thilmony had the best score among local golfers, carding a 188 total, +45 to par, good for a three-way tie for seventeenth place. Teammate Theo Nygaard was 23rd with a two day total of 193.

In the girls individual competition at Eureka, Bonner’s Ferry’s Bralyn Bayer finished first with a two-day score of 157. Teammate Avery Bayer was second with a 159.

Tops among local golfers was T Falls sophomore Aubrey Baxter, who shot a 209 score to tie for seventh place. Baxter finished the first day with a 101, then had a 108 on day two.

Lady Hawks teammate Sophia Chou was tied for tenth after compiling a 218 score, while fellow T Falls golfer Solveig Nygaard was thirteenth at 224. The Lady Hawks Olivia Naccarini was 28th with a score of 310.

Other local golfers who played at the Eureka courses were: Superior’s Phin Cataldo, Owen Doyle, Brydon Drey, Anthony Dodde and Henry Hanson. From Plains: Brandt Snead, Drew Carey, Wyatt Butcher, Malmend, Eleanor Bebb and Madi Peele.

Next up for area golfers is the St. Regis Invitational at Trestle Creek Golf Course this Thursday morning beginning at 9:30 a.m.