BUTTE — Butte High will be well represented at the Class AA State Golf Tournament after a strong showing at the Western AA Divisional held Monday and Tuesday at the Butte Country Club.
Freshman Lane Lisac led the way for the Bulldog boys, tying for second individually with a two-day total of 147. Lisac opened the tournament with a 2-over-par 72 Monday before firing a 75 in Tuesday’s final round.
Lisac finished tied with Missoula Sentinel’s Cole Jenkins, while Helena Capital’s Jayce Belzer captured the individual championship with rounds of 71 and 72 for a 143 total.
The Bulldogs also put together a strong performance as a team, finishing third in the Western AA with a two-day score of 619. Butte shot 310 in the opening round and followed with a 309 Tuesday.
Helena Capital claimed the team championship at 597, followed by Missoula Sentinel at 610. Butte finished third, while Glacier grabbed the fourth and final team qualifying spot at 629.
Jack Muhlestein gave the Bulldogs another top-10 finish, shooting matching rounds of 76 to finish at 152.
Teagan Yelenich and Braden Donnelly each finished at 164. Yelenich carded rounds of 79 and 85, while Donnelly followed an opening 83 with an 81 Tuesday.
Miles Choquette turned in one of Butte’s biggest improvements of the tournament. After opening with a 91, the sophomore came back with a 77 in the final round to finish at 168.
With their third-place team finish, Lisac, Muhlestein, Yelenich, Donnelly and Choquette will all advance to the Class AA State Tournament.
DeShaw Leads Bulldog Girls
Senior Kate DeShaw led the way for the Butte High girls, finishing sixth individually.
DeShaw opened with an 89 Monday and shot 98 Tuesday to finish the tournament at 187.
Glacier’s Maggie Mitton made a big move during the final round, following a 92 Monday with an 82 Tuesday to capture the Western AA championship at 174. Sentinel’s Maci Reiff finished just one stroke back at 175.
Butte junior Sage Leber also earned a trip to state. Leber improved from a 113 in the opening round to a 107 Tuesday, finishing at 220.
Also competing for the Bulldogs were Lilly Sandoval, Lilly Carden and Julia DeShaw.
The Butte High girls finished seventh in the team standings. Missoula Big Sky captured the Western AA team championship, followed by Sentinel, Capital and Glacier.
The Class AA State Golf Tournament is scheduled for Oct. 1-2 at Meadowlark Country Club in Great Falls, where the Bulldogs will get their opportunity to close out the season against the best Class AA golfers in Montana.
