It wasn’t originally scheduled to go down this way, but the 2026 Gary Thompson Invitational was held at River’s Bend outside of Thompson Falls May 5, and local players dotted the leader board at tourney’s end.

Playing through with a smaller field of teams than normally attend, this year’s Thompson Invite was won by Denver Thomas of St. Regis, who carded an 80, with the boys and by Kipley Solari of Florence, who shot an 86, with the girls.

Thompson Falls’ dynamic fairways duo of Aubrey Baxter (94) and Solveig Nygaard (95) finished third and fourth with the girls and Khila Teeters of St. Regis (98) was right behind in fifth.

Freshman Jackson Revier shot the best round for Plains, carding an 85 for fifth place to lead the Horsemen.

Also for the St. Regis boys team Conner Lulis shot 91, good for ninth place, and Dominic Mancini 95 for a share of thirteenth with Jarett Weeks of Plains.

Superior’s Phin Cataldo, who won a playoff with Thomas to claim the Trestle Creek title a week earlier, shot an 87 on River’s Bend to tie for sixth place in the Thompson Invite.

Freshman Tristan Kelly led the Thompson Falls boys with a 92 for sole possession of tenth place individually. Blake Shusterman and Nathan Baxter tied for nineteenth, Billy Detlaff placed twenty-sixth and Lane Thilmony thirty-second for the Blue Hawk boys.

Pierce Danielson, Bryson Hoyle and JD Warta also golfed in the Thompson Invitational for the Plains boys, and Tia Bellinger, Jaycee Carr, Eleanor Bebb and Brooklyn Crane for the Plains girls.

Brydon Drey, Henry Hanson, Neal Orr, Dalton Boyce and Braydon Arbogast backed up Cataldo’s efforts for the Superior boys.

Lacie Ketlehut of Florence won second place in the girls meet with a 90, and RJ Moody and Oliver Fisher, also both of Florence, finished second and third with the boys with rounds of 81 nd 83.

Area prep golfers now turn their attention towards divisional play, with Western B set to be played at Anaconda and the Western C at Shelby, Tuesday and Wednesday (May 12 and 13) of this week.

Originally set for April 23, this year’s Thompson Falls tourney did not draw as many teams likely due to that rescheduling, which caused a ripple effect on other tournaments’ attendance as well.

    POISED PLAINS PUTTER Pierce Danielson in action at River’s Bend May 5 in the Gary Thompson Invitational. The Western B divisional golf tournament is set to be played in Anaconda May 12-13. (John Hamilton/vp-mi)
  

    SUPERIOR SENIOR Phin Cataldo blasts his way out of a sand trap during action in the Gary Thompson Invitational played at River’s Bend May 5. The Western C divisional tournament is in Shelby Tuesday and Wednesday. (John Hamilton/vp-mi)
  

    ST. REGIS JUNIOR Conner Lulis is about to hit a shot during action in the Gary Thompson Invite at River’s Bend May 5. Lulis went on to card a 91 and finish ninth individually in the tournament. (John Hamilton/vp-mi)