Two Big Horn boys players head to state for first time in four years
By Jen Clancey STAFF WRITER
The Lone Peak High School Big Horns persevered through wind, low temperatures and nonstop rain at the Class B southern divisional tournament in Billings on Monday, May 5. By the end of the regional tournament, the Big Horn girls golf team secured the top spot for the second year in a row, and the boys golf team closed out with two state qualifiers.
Junior Dylan Manka led the girls with an individual score of 86 and a first place win. Two fellow players finished in the top 10—junior Olivia Kamieniarz finished fifth with a score of 93, and junior Maddie Wilcynski finished sixth with a score of 97. Sophomores Sabine Hurlbut and Penelope Brooke also assisted their team to the tournament win throughout the tournament.
Head coach Jenny Wilcynski was proud of her team’s composure under the chilly conditions and credited the “outdoorsiness” of Big Sky athletes with the ability to withstand an all-day tournament with gusts blowing rain as they hit.
“When they had a bad hole, they bounced back and with a par, which is huge,” Wilcynski said. She was excited to see the strong performances from Manka and Kamieniarz and noted that each player contributed to the win. “Penelope and Sabine … they finished and in great standing, not too far off from what they’ve been shooting all year.”
With the overall win, the Big Horn girls will play in the state tournament next week, looking to defend their 2024 Class B title.
On the boys side, impressive contributions from sophomore Mac Bertelson, who finished at seventh shooting 88, and senior Isaac Bedway, who finished in a tie at 10th place shooting 90, earned them both a spot in the state tournament.
“Mac—he just was very steady. And Isaac, he also just stayed steady and got himself in a position to finish in the top 15,” Wilcynski said.
On Monday, May 12, the Big Horns will play their practice rounds at Marias Valley Golf and Country Club in Shelby, a course that Wilcynski said requires strategy and overall course management.
“We look forward to state and however we can put it together, we know that there’s gonna be a little bit of competition for our top players, for the individual run,” Wilcynski said. For the girls, she said that Florence-Carlton High School’s strong team will challenge the Big Horn girls. “[It] should be a fun state tournament to clue in on.”
The state tournament will commence on Tuesday, May 13 and continue through Wednesday, May 14.
