Ronan, Polson golfers earn state berths at Western A Divisional
BRANDON HANSEN For the Leader | Lake County Leader | UPDATED 10 months, 2 weeks AGO
Polson's Max Milton watches his drive off the third tee at the Bigfork Invitational at Eagle Bend Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 4. Milton and Ronan's Rowe helped Lake County golfers excel at state. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
With steady play at Hamilton Golf Club, both the Ronan and Polson golf teams advanced individuals to the upcoming Class A state tournament after strong finishes at the Western A Divisional Tournament.
On the boys’ side, Polson placed third overall with a team score of 329, trailing only Corvallis (296) and Frenchtown (323). The Pirates were led by senior standout Max Milton, who fired a 73 to finish third individually in the field. His steady round helped Polson secure a top-three team finish and build momentum heading into state.
The Pirates' Cash Brown and Holden Emerson placed 16th with an 83.
Ronan followed closely behind, finishing seventh with a 339. Junior Oliver Rowe turned in one of his best outings of the season, carding a 77 to tie for fifth place overall. Teammate Kolby Finley was just behind, posting a 79 to share eighth. Their play provided the Chiefs with two top-10 finishers in a deep divisional field.
On the girls’ side, Polson’s Olivia Cottet paced the Lady Pirates with a round of 101, good for 11th overall and a spot among the state qualifiers. As a team, Polson finished fifth at 433, narrowly behind Frenchtown. Ronan’s girls placed ninth with a score of 542.
Polson's Johanna Bieber was 19th with a 105, while Ronan's LaRae Mays was 23rd with a 111.
Hamilton’s Cameron Burnett took medalist honors with a 76, while Whitefish (377) and Dillon (386) rounded out the girls’ top three teams.
With both squads advancing individuals, Polson and Ronan will now turn their focus to the Class A state tournament, where consistency will be key against another strong field.