The Gary Thompson Invite!

Don't call it the Thompson Falls Invitational anymore, call it the Gary Thompson Invitational from now on.

Since his name is pretty much synonymous with Thompson Falls golf anyway – being as he coached the boys program to its only State B title in 2015, and has been a guiding light for Hawk golfers as their mentor for countless years – Thompson watched the annual prep tourney played at River's Bend be renamed in his honor at a special ceremony at the event two years ago.

That honor is well deserved as it also covers some of the other great coaching Thompson has done while teaching and living in Thompson Falls over the years. As well as coaching golf, Thompson has also assistant coached in about every other sport at one time or another, including stints in softball (helping coach the Lady Hawks to the 2021 State B-C championship), basketball and football along the way.

But as Thompson himself would say - that's enough about him - and we need to turn our attention to the results from the latest greatest Thompson Invitational played at River's Bend Tuesday, April 20.

Leading the efforts for his current teams of golfers, sisters Megan and Ellie Baxter shot 110 and 111 respectively, for fourth and fifth place among the girls, while Kade Pardee led the Hawk boys and finished third overall with an 83.

Zeke Boos of Loyola won the boys title with a 77 and Florence's JP Briney was second at 82.

Kyla Bohne of Eureka claimed the girls crown with a 109, and Plains' Kaylee Cole, Trista Windell of Seeley-Swan and Megan Baxter all shot 110, with a playoff determining final placing position, and Cole winning second.

Kimmy Curry of Plains also shot 111 to tie Ellie Baxter for fifth place.

Also scoring for Thompson Falls were Cael Thilmony (100), Tristan Subatch (112), Jesse Claridge (116), Colton Wormwood (134) and Lucas Allday (136).

Representing Plains, Duncan Chisholm (108) led the Horsemen, followed by Brandt Snead (114), Drew Carey (120) and Nick Gumm (133).

In other links action last week, Thompson Falls golfers played in the Anaconda Invitational at Old Works Course Thursday.

Pardee carded an 81 on the world-famous course to claim fourth among the boys, while Ellie Baxter fired a 97 for second place with the girls and Megan scored 106 for sixth place.

Coach Thompson wanted to thank everyone involved with helping make the latest Thompson Invitational a success, including Sanders County Harvest Foods and the personnel at River's Bend Golf Couse in particular for their consistent support.