STATE A GOLF PREVIEW: Whitefish lines up shot at title

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STATE A GOLF PREVIEW: Whitefish lines up shot at title

BY MICHAEL HEINBACH of the Missoulian | Posted: Sunday, October 11, 2009 11:30 pm |

The advantages for the Whitefish golf teams keep piling up as the Bulldog boys' and girls' squads begin play at the State A golf tournament Monday.

Not only do both teams have a legitimate shot to take home first-place trophies, but after a postponement due to poor weather, the event - which was originally slated for Friday and Saturday last week - has been moved from Village Greens Golf Course to the South Course at Whitefish Lake. That just happens to be the Bulldogs' home course.

"We're used to skiing out here on this course," joked veteran Whitefish coach Terry Nelson. "We play this course a lot, so we pretty much know our way around it. But the biggest advantage we have is that the kids will be sleeping in their own beds and they'll be in a familiar setting."

The defending champion Whitefish boys are looking to earn Nelson his ninth boys' state team championship and have been favored to do so since the season began.

The Bulldogs are led by sophomore Reed Platke, who finished second at state a year ago, one stroke off the lead. He paced Whitefish to a 43-stroke victory over runner-up Columbia Falls at the Northwestern A divisional Oct. 1.

"I think he's got a real good chance of winning," Nelson said of his sophomore phenom. "After taking second last year, he gained a lot of experience and he plays a lot of tournament golf."

Also returning from last year's state-title team that won by 30 strokes over Billings Central are Joel Mallams, who was fourth at state in 2008 and Zach Maassen, who placed 11th.

But winning another state championship isn't guaranteed, especially the way Southwestern A champion Hamilton has played this season. The Broncs have narrowly beaten Whitefish in two of three tournaments the schools met head-to-head.

Not much was expected from last year's Hamilton boys, who were forced to reload after a state championship in 2007. But the young and inexperienced Broncs rallied to a third-place finish at state last season and coach Owen Burch returns his top four scorers from state in 2008.

"Last year nobody expected much from us and the kids kind of stepped it up and showed everybody what they were capable of," Burch said. "The funny thing is, they're weren't happy with the way they played. They think they should have taken second."

The Broncs top gun is sophomore Tyler Jessop, who won his second consecutive Southwestern A title in a playoff over Brett Creger from Dillon.

Hamilton golfers Eli Rogers, Kyle Lubke, Jason Jessop and Brad Palin all earned top-10 finishes at the divisional tournament and help make the Broncs deep from top to bottom.

"The kids are tired of sitting after this thing got moved back," Burch said. "They're going crazy waiting to play. It's like a horse in the gate at the Kentucky Derby. They're just raring to get out there."

Other contenders for the individual title include Lewsitown's Eli Bowen, Cody Fischer from Polson and Neil Martin from Sidney.

Defending girls' champion Billings Central is once again the team to beat.

"On the girls' side I have to say it's Billings Central," Nelson said. "I think the rest of us are probably playing for second place, but they still have to come out and make the shots like the rest of us."

But Nelson's Bulldogs, gunning for their 16th state championship, won't go quietly. After finishing nine strokes back of the Rams in second place last year, Whitefish is ready to take its best shot.

"We've kind of matched (Billings Central's) scores lately and we shot a 347 on the first day of the Flatfish tournament on this course," Nelson said. "We're not just going to give up."

Whitefish placed four golfers in the top five at the divisional tournament, led by medalist BreAnna Cameron, who took second at state last year, and Kiley McConnell, who placed eighth. Danielle McCully and Tayler Johnson will need to have good rounds if the Bulldogs hope to contend with Billings Central.

Some of the best bets to challenge for individual medalist honors include Kyla Clancy from Billings Central, Katy Peterson from Glendive, Katelyn Frank from Sidney and Southwestern A champion Teryn Green from Anaconda.