The Whitefish golf teams continued their strong seasons, with the girls reclaiming gold and the boys narrowly clinching second at Western A tournament on Saturday.  

The Lady Bulldogs shot 371 to defeat Polson (377) and Hamilton (392). The boys tallied 313 for second behind Polson (303) and ahead of Corvallis (332).  

The main goal for the Bulldogs heading into the Western A tournament on Polson’s home course was to focus on their own game.  

“Going into the tournament, we had high expectations. Our average place for the girls was 1-2. We were confident,” said Head Coach Danny Neff.  

The boys have bitten at the heels of Polson all season.  

“We lost by 10 strokes. We went out and competed really well,” Neff said. “In order for us to beat them, we have to play our best. And hopefully, this upcoming week, we’re going to play our best.”  

To do so, shot selection and course management will be a focus for the boys this week.  

For the girls, Neff said the team still has room to improve. 

“It ended up being a little closer than we wanted, but that came down to our short game and our putts ... so that’s something we’re going to grind with this week,” he said.  

Leading up to state at the Marias Valley Golf Club in Shelby, Neff has been telling the athletes to enjoy the experience with their teammates.  

“There’s five of you on the team. If you have a bad hole, forget about it. Your teammates have your back. Just play your game,” he said.   

Karlee Brown and Rhylee Scott represented with second and third-place finishes on Saturday, with Brown shooting 82 and Scott 83. Cameron Burnett of Hamilton claimed the gold with 74. Freshman Jillian Wagner had a great day, coming in ninth with 90. Owens and Baylee Hyland rounded out the team effort placing 33rd and 36th, respectively.  

In the boys competition, Mason O’Neil placed fifth shooting 77. Taylor delivered with a 78, good for seventh. Wyatt Scott and Nick Schmid-Sommer claimed eighth-ninth with 79. Zack Schmid-Sommer also landed in the top-15 shooting 80. It was a well-rounded effort for the team, but Polson standout Max Milton’s 65, 7 under par, tipped the scales in favor of the Pirates.  

Beyond the scores, O’Neil has been a great leader for the boys team.  

“He’s very familiar with the game... he is that leader,” Neff said. “He’s that individual that younger kids strive to be.”  

Fellow senior Wyatt Scott has showed dedication, continuously working hard on the course, Neff said. Co-captain Ashton Taylor will be another force to be missed next year.  

For the girls, Brown has been a spectacular leader.  

“She’s a lot of the glue that holds them together,” Neff said.  

Alongside Rhylee Scott and Caroline Owens, the seniors have been a reason for others to fall in love with the sport, Neff said.  

“We’re going to lose them, but we’ve got strong classes coming up. And that only comes with playing with seniors,” he added. 

The Class A tournament begins Friday and concludes Saturday. The Bulldogs look forward to facing eastern competitors for the first time this season.  

“We’ll see what the weather brings,” Neff said. “That’s going to play into our mental strategies for the course.” 

Editor Kelsey Evans can be reached at 406-862-3505 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at whitefishpilot.com/support.

    Polson's Max Milton (right), Whitefish's Mason O'Neil (left) and Ronan's Oliver Rowe (middle), walk the Polson Bay Golf Course on the way to finish their hole on Sept. 26. (Katie Mihalik / Lake County Leader)
  

    Max Milton (right), Dylan Wirt (middle) and Mason O'Neil (left) shake hands after completing the Golf Western A Divisional's on Sept. 26. (Katie Mihalik / Lake County Leader)
  

    Whitefish High School senior Mason O'Neil swings at the beginning of the Golf Western A Divisionals on Sept. 26. (Katie Mihalik / Lake County Leader)