Baxters, Pardee earn State B berths

The best sister-sister act in Western B golf, and maybe in the entire state of Class B golf, Blue Hawks Ellie and Megan Baxter finished third and fifth individually in the Division 3 tournament at Eagle Bend in Bigfork last Wednesday to automatically qualify for this week’s State B tourney.

A sophomore, Ellie carded a 97 and Megan, a senior, shot 102 in Bigfork last week.

On the boys side of the Division 3 tourney, senior Kade Pardee fired an 83, good for fourth place individually.

Tristan Subatch (113), Cael Thilmony (117) and Jesse Claridge (126) also competed for the Hawk boys in Bigfork but didn’t finish in the top 15 and earn automatic State B bids that way or by finishing in the top four teams overall. The Hawks finished ninth in team scoring.

In Montana high school golf, the top 15 individuals and the top four teams earn automatic entry into state tournaments.

The timing of the State B earlier this week – it was set to be played Tuesday and Wednesday at Eagle Rock Golf Course in Billings – did not allow publication of final tourney results until next week’s issue.

Celi Chapman of Jefferson County High School shot an 82 to win the girls individual Division 3 championship while Zeke Boos of Loyola posted a 71 to win the boys title.

Three Forks, Manhattan, Broadwater (Townsend) and Bigfork finished first through fourth with the girls teams while Loyola, Jefferson, Anaconda and Eureka were the top four boys teams in Bigfork.