With the high school golf season just over a month old, things are starting to take shape for area teams and players.

The Whitefish girls, defending Class A state champions, have been locking up invitational team titles and individual medalist honors on a weekly basis since the opener in the middle of August with their very deep and talented squad.

Columbia Falls, Flathead, Glacier, Polson and Whitefish all have individuals with sights set on all-state honors (placing in the top 15) when state time rolls around the final weekend in September.

The next big meet for all five schools is the Kalispell Invitational on Wednesday at Northern Pines Golf Course and Thursday at Buffalo Hill Golf Club. Also attending are Great Falls, Great Falls C.M. Russell, Hamilton and the three Missoula schools — Big Sky, Hellgate and Sentinel.

Play begins 10 a.m. both days.

The regular season ends for Flathead and Glacier the following week with the Crosstown Cup. Then it’s off to state Sept. 29-30 in Billings at Lake Hills Golf Course.

Columbia Falls, Polson and Whitefish have divisionals in Hamilton Sept. 24 followed by state Sept. 30-Oct. 1, also in Hamilton at the Hamilton Golf Club.

Columbia Falls

Coach Gene Marcille, now in his 26th year, has two juniors — Logan Lybbert and Logan Peck — who have been real consistent this fall.

“They are putting up some steady scores,” he said.

“They put in their time over the summer and it shows.”

Both have finished in the top 10 at tournaments and were on the Wildcats state team a year ago.

LJ Panasuk, a junior, Trey Perkins, a sophomore, and Tyler Langton, a freshman, have also been scoring with the varsity. Panasuk and Perkins were state players in 2015.

Marcille does not have a girls team competing this fall because of no participants. He said that’s the first time that has happened.

“We’ve always had girls, maybe not enough for a full team, but every year,” he said.

He said the interest just wasn’t there this fall.

“It concerns me,” he said.

“We’re always working on some ideas to change that. I am optimistic.”

Flathead

First-year coach Kyle Dunfee has senior dominated boys and girls squads.

Rielly Manger, Nick Weaver and Ben Walseth are in their final seasons with the Braves.

Manger and Weaver have battled back and forth, score-wise, on leading the Braves.

“Both boys have all-state potential,” Dunfee said.

“It’s been fun to watch.”

Dunfee has a lofty goal regarding state.

“Top five in state,” he said.

“I think we can attain that. Once they hit their stride, they can do that.”

Weaver was a member of last year’s state team.

For the FHS girls, Becca Knutson has been the top performer.

Seniors Maddie Huestis, Ava Munzing and Katie Stobie are contributing, along with sophomore Cassidy Levin.

Senior Mikaila Jorgenson has been battling for varsity time as well.

“She’s been pretty consistent all year,” Dunfee said of Knutson.

“Scoring low 90s to just over a 100. After that, my seniors and one sophomore are pretty even.”

Knutson, Stobie and Huestis competed at state last year.

Glacier

Jim Schaible, in his 10th season with the program, has been the head coach for the last five. He has a young and inexperienced boys team while McKenna Tinseth, a senior, is enjoying a very successful campaign for the girls.

“She’s led (Glacier) in every tournament,” he said of Tinseth.

“She’s working hard trying to be a medalist, an all-state player again this year.”

She finished eighth last year at state.

“The girls are also pretty inexperienced,” he said.

“Only two played varsity last year. We’re rebuilding.”

For the boys, senior Brandon Olson and juniors AJ Grande Brayden Aurich and Zach Scott have enjoyed the most success thus far. Scott led the Wolfpack at the Helena tournament.

Last year, the boys were led by state champion Tom Mann and the girls had state runner-up Teigan Avery.

“Those kids were unbelievable,” Schaible said.

“You can’t replace them.”

He said the challenge this year has been for everyone “to get their scores down instead of relying on one person,” like with Mann and Avery last year.

“If we could get each person to improve five to 10 strokes through the season, that would bring us in contention (at state). Give us a respectable score.”

Polson

Carson McDaniel, Matt Hobbs and Trey Kelley have been the big three for the Pirates.

They went 1-2-3 at the Northwest A Kickoff tournament, all shooting 80 or better. McDaniel was the medalist with a 72.

McDaniel tied for third at the Missoula County Invitational, which included AA teams. The Pirates, as a team, were third behind Missoula Sentinel and Hamilton.

McDaniel was 15th at state last year

For the girls, Kiyara McCue carded a 93 at the Kickoff, good for fourth place. The Pirates were second on the team front, well behind Whitefish.

Amanda Farley led the Pirates at Missoula and later at the Columbia Falls Invitational.

The team is coached by Bill Owen.

Whitefish

“The girls have done very well,” Whitefish coach Bill Kahle said.

Senior co-captains Hayley and Holly Hileman, all-state players a year ago, have been in the running for medalist honors at nearly every event this fall.

“They practice a lot and work a lot on their game in the offseason,” Kahle said of the sisters.

“Holly won a tournament at Meadow Lake. Hayley has been close.”

They have consistently been in the top 10 this season.

The Hilemans tied for 14th at state last year.

“Holly doesn’t let bad shots affect her,” Kahle said.

“She bounces back. That’s so critical in golf; not to let it get to you.

“Hayley plays with a lot of emotion,” he said.

“Her consistency has improved. She is very long off the tee.”

Whitefish’s top two girls from last year have graduated — medalist Coral Schulz and third-place finisher Katie Fyall.

The Bulldogs return senior Paige Sproul, who was on last year’s championship team.

“Her game has gotten better,” Kahle said of Sproul.

“Her ball striking and her consistency with her short game (has improved the most).”

He said sophomore Gracie Young and freshman Megan Archibald have come along and improved over the course of the season.

He describes the boys team as young, but improving.

Sophomore Brendan Buls has been the team’s top scorer while sophomore Ryan Kemm, senior Thomas Carloss and senior Jeffrey Hyer have made strides.

“I like the future for the next couple of years on the boys side,” he said.

“A great tradition, a long standing tradition,” he said of players, and coaches, at Whitefish.

Kahle is in his first season as coach.