Sep. 20—The boys individual race at the Kalispell Invitational came down to the final hole Thursday — or rather, two final holes at Buffalo Hill Golf Club.
Flathead’s Dylan Morris, tied with Glacier’s Sam Engellant after 17 holes played, sank a short birdie putt on Buffalo Hills’ par-3 “No. 19,” — normally a practice hole, but pressed into action with the rebuilt green at No. 3 out of action — to finish with a 69.
Engellant, who finished on the par-4 No. 1 Thursday, gave himself a chance at a playoff with a 25-foot birdie look. He barely missed, and Morris earned medalist honors for the first time in his high school career.
Morris’ two-day total, including his 5-under 67 on Thursday, was 138. Engellant and Helena Capital’s John Gilbert finished one stroke back.
“I am happy as I can possibly be for Dylan and am super proud of him,” Flathead golf coach Roy Antley said. “He’s a kid who has all the talent in the world and struggles at times in the mental part of the game. He had every chance today to fold his tents and didn’t do it.”
Morris shot a 30 on his front nine to build a sizable lead. He was still 5-under going to No. 17, but then bogeyed the next two holes. Engellant, playing a group in front, had birdied No. 18 — so now the two were tied.
“Just a phenomenal kid,” Antley said of Engellant, noting that the Glacier senior started Wednesday 6-over after six holes, but then shot a 30 coming in to shot a 71, same as Morris. “He played a great round as well. He had a chance to tie and just missed his birdie. It was a fantastic finish.”
In the background of all this drama was Glacier’s sweep of the team titles. The boys had a rough stretch during which Missoula Sentinel cut the Wolfpack’s 7-stroke lead to one, but then pulled away again. Three Glacier players — Engellant, who managed a bogey on 17 despite having his approach bounce out of bounds, and Tanyon and Torrey Murray — finish in the top 15.
The Pack’s team total was 587, while Sentinel was at 594. Helena Capital and Whitefish were next, and Flathead moved up a spot on Thursday to fifth.
The Bulldogs’ Otto Klein was sixth individual at 144, one stroke behind first-day leader Max Milton of Polson.
Glacier had all four girls that scored finish in the top 15, led by Abbi Towsend, who shot 87 on Thursday for a two-day total of 165. That was good for third; Great Falls High’s Hanna Boyd was medalist by 10 strokes, at 153, and Hamilton’s Cameron Burnett was second.
Stella Jaffe shot 83 Thursday to finish fourth and help Whitefish move up to second in the team race at 717. Glacier, with help from Vaida Cole (177), Kendall Tkachyk and Maggie Milton (186), was at 713.
“The girls have been on a tear,” Glacier coach Jim Ness said. “I think they’ve won the last three tournaments. Abbi Towsend had a fantastic couple days.”
The defending state champion boys won another tournament as well.
“I’ll give Flathead and Dylan a lot of credit,” Ness said. “It was a battle right down to the end, so hats off to Dylan for taking home he title from the Kalispell invite his senior year.
“This to me was the tournament of the year as far as a great field, and the kids played well,” Antley added. “Couldn’t ask for a better finish.”
Kalispell Invitational
Thursday at Buffalo Hill
BOYS
Team scores — 1, Glacier 284-303—587; 2, Missoula Sentinel 291-303—594; 3, Helena Capital 303-309—612; 4, Whitefish 300-319—619; 5, Flathead 309-314—623; 6, Columbia Falls 306-330—636;7, Great Falls CMR 321-332—653; 8, Missoula Big Sky, 309-345—654; 9 (tie), Great Falls 315-340— 655 and Polson, 321-334—655; 11, Hamilton 323-340—663; 12, Helena 347-343—690; 13, Missoula Hellgate 353-358—711.
Individual Top 15
Dylan Morris, Flathead 71-67—138
Sam Engellant, Glacier 71-68—139
John Gilbert, Capital 70-69—139
Hudson Goroski, Sentinel 70-72—142
Max Milton, Polson 69-74—143
Otto Klein, Whitefish 70-74—144
Torren Murray, Glacier 70-74—144
Tyce O’Connell, Hamilton 75-72—147
Jack Shaefer, Sentinel 71-78—149
Winslow Peters, Columbia Falls 72-77—149
Gabe Shepard, Sentinel 75-74—149
Jack Pinski, CMR 78-72—150
Tanyon Murray, Glacier 70-82—152
Matt Gilbert, Capital 74-78—152
Josh Bender, Hamilton 75-78—153
Glacier — Engellant 139, Torren Murray 144, Tanyon Murray 152, Luke Nelson 73-81—154, Jonah Wynne 75-80—155.
Flathead — Morris 138, Conner Gall 77-79—156, Isaac Gall 81-83— 164, Hunter Fann 80-85—165, Korbin Eaton 84-88—172.
Whitefish — Otto Kline 144; Mason O’Neill 75-82—157; Aiden Rickets 77-80—157; Colby Minton 78-87—165; Finn Hobart 81-83—164.
Columbia Falls — Winslow Peters 149; Will Pickard 77-84—161; Bentley Cadey 82-79—161; Jax Ramage 79-90—169; Tucker Gonzalez 78-92—170.
GIRLS
Team scores — 1, Glacier 341-372—713; 2, Whitefish 361-356—717; 3, Hamilton 372-378—750; 4, Helena 360-395—755; 5, Great Falls 374-393—767; 6, Helena Capital 378-402—780; 7, Great Falls CMR 390-407—797; 8, Missoula Sentinel 443-415—858; 9, Polson 474-456—930.
Individual Top 15
Hanna Boyd, Great Falls 73-80—153
Cameron Burnett, Hamilton 77-86—163
Abbi Townsend, Glacier 78-87—165
Stella Jaffe, Whitefish 83-83—166
Quincy Weymouth, CMR 84-84—168
Karlee Brown, Whitefish 82-88—170
Presley Clark, Hellgate 86-86—172
Mya Helvik, Helena 86-89—175
Olivia McGreevey, Capital 83-93—176
Vaida Cole, Glacier 86-91—177
Cat Helmer, Hellgate 90-92—182
Kendall Tkachyk, Glacier 88-98—186
Maggie Milton, Glacier 89-97—186
Bryn Cianflone, Hamilton 93-93—186
Mia Taylor, Helena 85-101—186
Glacier — Townsend 165, Cole 177, Tkachyk 186, Milton 186, Braelyn Ryan 101-97—198.
Whitefish — Jaffe 166, Brown 170, Ava Zignego 100-92—192; Rhylee Scott 96-93—189; Caroline Owens 108-106—214.
Flathead — Becky Schmidt 104-99—203; Kyrie Gislason 100-DNF; Hayden Ward DNF-118.
Glacier’s Abbi Townsend watches her shot on the sixth hole during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier’s Sam Engellant watches his approach on the sixth hole during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Whitefish’s Stella Jaffe watches her tee shot on the fifth hole during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Polson’s Max Milton watches his tee shot on the fourth hole during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Whitefish’s Karlee Brown watches her tee shot on the sixth hole during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Whitefish’s Otto Klein watches his putt on the third hole during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Whitefish’s Otto Klein watches his approach on the fourth hole during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier’s Vaida Cole watches her shot on the fifth hole during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier’s Torren Murray watches his tee shot on the fourth hole during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier’s Torren Murray watches his approach on the fourth hole during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier’s Kendall Tkachyk lines up her putt on the fifth green during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Columbia Falls’ Winslow Peters watches his tee shot on the sixth hole during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Columbia Falls’ Winslow Peters hits his approach on the sixth hole during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier’s Kendall Tkachyk putts on the fifth green during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Great Falls’ Hanna Boyd chips onto the fifth green during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Great Falls’ Hanna Boyd watches her shot on the sixth hole during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier’s Torren Murray watches his tee shot on the fifth hole during the Kalispell Invitational at Buffalo Hill Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
