SIDNEY — On a day where scores improved drastically across the board, Billings Central's Colin Jensen made the biggest splash.
Jensen shot a 6-under-par 66 Saturday to rally to win individual boys medalist honors at the Class A state golf tournament Saturday at the Sidney Country Club.
Meanwhile, Livingston's Anna Lende, who led after Round 1, finished a solid two days with another 77 to win the girls championship by eight strokes.
Corvallis' boys were able to win the team title in spite of Central's Jensen and teammate Caleb Fornshell finishing 1-2. The Blue Devils were four strokes better in the second round and finished with a two-day total of 616 to win by two over the Rams, who saw a 16-stroke improvement.
The Billings Central girls cruised to their second-straight team crown, shooting 11 shots better than they did in Day 2 to close with a combined score of 687 and beat second-place Whitefish by 46 shots.
Jensen began Saturday's second and final round in a tie for sixth place, six shots back of the leader (and defending state champion) Max Milton of Polson. But Jensen made up ground with seven birdies to surpass the field and win the tournament by three shots.
Central's Fornshell came in second, shooting 2-under 70 on Saturday to finish with a two-round score of 144. Milton, who was 3-under after the first round, and Corvallis' Brady Powell finished in a tie for third, each with two-day totals of 145.
Lende, who finished second at state last season, shot back to back 77s to finish with a total of 154. She outlasted Central's Jordan Nielsen, who shots 79 on Saturday to close with a two-round score of 162.
Central's Berkley Park shot 82 on Saturday to finish with a 163 to place third in the girls competition. The Rams put four girls in the top eight en route to their second consecutive team title.
State A golf
Oct. 3-4
at Sidney Country Club
Final round
BOYS
Team scores: 1, Corvallis, 309-305—614; 2, Billings Central, 316-300—616; 2, Polson, 316-321—637; 4, Livingston, 330-315—645; 5, Sidney, 333-331—664; 6, Frenchtown, 338-333—671; 7, Laurel, 340-339—679; 8, Dillon, 353-349—702.
Top 15: 1, Colin Jensen, Central, 75-66—141; 2, Caleb Fornshell, Central, 74-70—144; T3, Max Milton, Polson, 69-76—145; T3, Brady Powell, Corvallis, 72-73—145; 5, Sawyer Gentry, Livingston, 74-73—147; 6, Oliver Rowe, Ronan, 75-74—149; 7, Dylan Wirt, Corvallis, 74-76—150; 8, Cash Brown, Polson, 75-76—151; T9, Tag Jessop, Corvallis, 80-73—153; T9, Royce Taylor, Laurel, 81-72—153; 11, Brady Collins, Sidney, 81-77—158; 12, Raymond Olds, Livingston, 85-76—161; T13, Will McGree, Butte Central, 85-77—162; T13, Beau McGree, Butte Central, 85-77—162; T15, Brayden Garr, Frenchtown, 80-84—164; T15, Zach Maki, Dillon, 82-82—164; T15, Kolby Finley, Ronan, 83-81—164.
GIRLS
Team scores: 1, Billings Central, 349-338—687; 2, Whitefish, 372-361—733; 3, Dillon, 385-377—762; 4, Hamilton 404-381—785; 5, Livingston, 401-406—807; 6, Miles City, 414-414—828; 7, Frenchtown, 416-419—835; 7, Lewistown, 410-427—837.
Top 15: 1, Anna Lende, Livingston, 77; 2, Jordan Nielsen, Central, 83-79—162; 3, Berkley Park, Central, 81-82—163; 4, Karlee Brown, Whitefish, 81-83—164; 5, Skylar LaPierre, Dillon, 85-81—166; 6, Cameron Burnett, Hamilton, 88-81—169; 7, Autumn Goodan, Lewistown, 84-94-178; T8, CeCe Fornshell, Central, 90-91—181; T8, Briley Alberi, Dillon, 94-87—181; T8, Kaitlin Ferris, Central, 95-86—181; T8, Izzy Baisch, Sidney, 96-85—181; 12, Ava Flotkoetter, Miles City, 94-88—182; 13, Ryhlee Scott, Whitefish, 93-91-184; 14, Izzabella Weber, Lockwood, 96-89—185; 15, Keegan Campbell, Bigfork, 92-94—186.
