Eureka put together a first-year coach with a quintet of young golfers and the next thing you know, these Lions are headed for State.

Their fourth-place finish at the Division 3 tournament last week qualified the Lions for the State B championship, which begins today at Eaglerock Golf Course located about halfway between the Billings Heights and Huntley.

With 398 strokes, Eureka was a distant fourth to perennial power Missoula Loyola (337), which will be gunning for its third state title in four seasons. But it feels good to get to go.

“It’s been a learning year,” said Andy Kelley, a first-year teacher at Eureka’s middle school who landed the bonus job as golf coach. “We’ve put in a lot of hard work this year. I’m really proud of how far we’ve come. My three and four golfers, over the course of the year, have taken off about 15 strokes.”

Those would be junior Zach Stenslie and freshman Kennan McDole; Eric Casazza, a junior, was fifth at the divisional with an 85 and is the Lions’ lead golfer; sophomore Trent Truman is No. 2, and freshman Braden Casazza is the No. 5.

It’s a team that has dodged hail on its own Indian Springs, and played the Wilderness Club Resort, Eagle Bend (multiple times) and Old Works, dropping strokes along the way.

“Golf is kind of a sport that’s hard to give projections,” Kelly said. “We played our practice round (Monday) and it’s looking promising.

“The kids have had the experience to get them ready to play this course… They definitely deserve everything they’ve gotten. It’s cool to see these results, a trip to State.”

Eureka is sending one girl to state, and that’s senior Kyla Bohne, who was second at the divisional to Boulder standout Celi Chapman. Kelley is hopeful both Bohne and Eric Casazza can finish in the Top 15 and land All-State status when the 36-hole tournament concludes Wednesday.

Bigfork’s girls, led by Katie Hummel, are headed to state while the Viking boys are not. Bigfork freshman Colin Wade did finish second in the boys’ divisional race, shooting a 76. In first was Loyola sophomore Zeke Boos, who ran his individual run of first-place finishes to seven at Eagle Bend. He had a 71.

Brett Damaskos, Bigfork’s sixth-year coach, feels Wade has Boos in range.

“It takes a good round,” Damaskos said. “They’re both great young golfers. Once you’re in those last three or four groups at state, it’s anyone’s game. Colin has every ability to do it, it’s a course that’s unfamiliar to both of them and so anything can happen.

“But he (Boos) has won all those tournaments for a reason. He’s a really, really good player.”

Like the Eureka boys, the Bigfork girls were fourth at the divisional. In fifth was Loyola, ending the Breakers’ two-year run as state champion. That leaves the door open for divisional champion Three Forks, which won state in 2016-17 (there was no State B last year before of the pandemic).

Hummel, Sydney Slawter, Ava Hall and Mckenzkie Holton all finished with nine strokes of each other last week for Bigfork, though none of them cracked the top 15 (Hummel was 16th). Brooklyn Kallenberger fills out the squad.

“We have a lot of girls where it’s their first year playing competitively, or even recreationally,” Damaskos said. “There’s always an opportunity for one of them or more to flip the switch and challenge for a spot.”

Of the school’s closest to Eaglerock, Shepherd and Huntley Project, only the Shepherd girls qualified as a team.

Columbus, always a threat in Class B golf, won both sides of its Division 2 tournament last week. The Cougar boys last won state in 2014. Shelby won in 2018, and Loyola is defending champion.