Lady Pirates score historic win in Flatfish Invitational
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
EUREKA — At the start of the season, Polson coach Bill Owen knew his group of young, inexperienced Lady Pirates would become good golfers – he just didn’t know how quick it would happen.
On Tuesday at the Indian Springs Ranch Golf Course in Eureka, the Lady Pirates accomplished something that no Lady Pirate or Pirate team has done in Owen’s 15 years coaching at Polson by winning the two-day Flatfish Invitational.
“The thing that is exciting about it is their scores are going down. They keep improving,” Owen said. “The fact that I consider them ahead of schedule. I knew they would be a good group by the end of the season, but for them to make a statement like this so early really impressed me, as long as they realize they still have work to do, and I’m sure they do,”
The Lady Pirates shot a 400 in Whitefish Monday and followed it up with a 398 in Eureka to finish 16 points in front of Glacier, one of five AA teams at the tournament. Hellgate finished in third with 815.
Veteran Amy Williamson continued her steady play shooting a 96-97 to lead all Lady Pirates with a two-day score of 192 for a fifth-place finish. Sophomore Anna DiGiallonardo continued her emergence with a sixth-place finish. DiGiallonardo combined for a 193 (96-97).
After shooting a 105 the first day, Lady Pirate newcomer Makalah Wilson shaved six strokes off her score for a career-best 99. Owen said that Wilson is becoming more comfortable in a tournament setting and expects her scores to keep dropping. Kat Medland finished with a 211 (104-107) and Jaylin Kenney shot a 217 (112-105).
Taking advantage of playing on their home course, Whitefish led the girls’ competition after the first day but had two girls withdraw and didn’t qualify for the team competition. Still, Lady Bulldog Kiley McConnell won the competition easily. She shot a 166 beating her nearest competitor by 18 strokes. and Erin Tabish finished in fourth, three strokes ahead of Williamson. Whitefish is just one team the Lady Pirates will have to compete against at the divisional tournament in Ronan Sept. 26.
“We have our work cut out for us if we want to make a statement like that at the divisionals, but I’ve been impressed with their hard work and hopefully we’ll be in the trophy hunt,” Owen said. “For us to do well, it will have to be a team effort,” he added.
Hayden Congdon was the top Pirate at the competition, finishing with a two-day total of 161. Congdon was in sixth place after shooting a 77 the first day in Eureka. Congdon was on his game on the front nine, going to the turn with a 35.
“It was a links style course that required a lot of accuracy. So for him to shoot a 35 on the front nine, he must have had everything clicking for him,” Owen said.
Dakotah Jenson also started the tournament strong. The senior shot a 82 the first day and shot 40 on the front nine in Whitefish but fell off a little on the back nine, finishing with a 47 on the back nine.
Jenson’s two-day total of 169 matched Polson’s number one golfer Cody Fischer’s. Austin Von Tom finished with a 199 (98-101) and Logan Howell had a two-day total of 203. (104-990.
