SIDNEY — Mia Nicholas (finally) got her state championship.
After top-five finishes at the previous three Class C state golf meets, the Seeley-Swan senior was steady down the stretch Wednesday at the Sidney Country Club to secure her first individual state title. Scobey's Cooper Axtman won the boys individual medalist honors.
Nicholas, who entered the day tied with Richey-Lambert's Emma Biernaux, shot a 9-over-par 81 in the second round to finish with a two-day total of 164 strokes.
Nicholas and Biernaux started Wednesday's second round on the 10th hole, and Biernaux took a two-shot lead thanks to a double bogey from Nicholas on the par-4 16th. The duo would stay within a stroke or two of each other on most of the front 9, with Nicholas finally tying Biernaux on the par-4 eighth. Nicholas parred the hole, while Biernaux carded a double bogey.
On the par-3 ninth, the final hole for the leaders, Nicholas carded another par and Biernaux found more trouble, settling for a triple bogey. Nicholas' 81 was the best round of the day, while Biernaux finished with a second-round 84 and a two-day total of 167 shots.
Centerville's Maddi Adams also shot an 84 on Wednesday to jump into third place with a two-day score of 178 strokes. Absarokee's Adisyn Kennedy (94-86—180) and Savage's Taylor Conradsen (91-93—184) rounded out the top five, with Conradsen helping the Warriors to the girls team title.
As a team, Savage finished 138 strokes over par, 14 shots better than second-place Centerville. In addition to Conradsen, Savage got scores from Aspen Peterson (93-99—192) and Emma McPherson (101-93—194), who finished eight and ninth, respectively, on the individual leaderboard.
Axtman, meanwhile, started the second round with a one-stroke lead and pulled away from the field in Wednesday's second round, firing a 3-over-par 75. He mostly avoided trouble and didn't card anything worse than a bogey all day, racking up 11 pars, two birdies and five bogeys.
Axtman started his round with three straight pars before bogeying four of his next five holds to finish the front 9 at 4-over-par. He gained a stroke back with a birdie on No. 12, and then bogeyed No. 16 and birdied No. 18 to close out the round and win the state championship.
Axtman was the only golfer to card a round in the 70s during the two-day tournament and finished with a 79-75—154 to help the Spartans to their second consecutive team title. Manhattan Christian placed second, led by Cavan Visser with a two-day score of 80-83—163 to finish runner-up on the individual leaderboard.
Scobey and Manhattan Christian have become accustomed to battling on the golf course, with the Spartans also edging the Eagles for last year's state title. It was more of the same this year, as the teams combined for the top six individual scores. Manhattan Christian's Carter VanDyken (86-80—166) followed Axtman and Visser to place third, and Scobey's Brecken Maher and Manhattan Christian's Max Venhuizen tied for fourth with 167 strokes.
Scobey's Evan Tande placed sixth with 168 strokes, as the Spartans finished 57 strokes over par as a team. Manhattan Christian was 64 strokes over par.
Class C state golf tournament
May 20-21 at Sidney Country Club
Final results
BOYS
Individual top 10: Cooper Axtman, Scobey, 79-75—154; Cavan Visser, Manhattan Christian, 80-83—163; Carter VanDyken, Manhattan Christian, 86-80—166; Brecken Maher, Scobey, 86-81—167; Max Venhuizen, Manhattan Christian, 85-82—167; Evan Tande, Scobey, 84-84—168; Grady Dow, Centerville, 85-86—171; Carson Solberg, Plentywood, 83-90—173; Aiden Posthumu, Seeley-Swan, 91-85—176; Jaxon Gallagher, Absarokee, 89-87—176; Finley Skillman, Manhattan Christian, 86-90—176.
Team scores: Scobey 249-240—489; Manhattan Christian 251-245—296; Plentywood 274-272—546; Seeley-Swan 286-264—550; Centerville 287-270—557; Forsyth 274-285—559; Absarokee 285-298—583; Highwood 300-293—593.
GIRLS
Individual top 10: Mia Nicholas, Seeley-Swan, 83-81—164; Emma Biernaux, Richey-Lambert, 83-84—167; Maddi Adams, Centerville, 94-84—178; Adisyn Kennedy, Absarokee, 94-86—180; Taylor Conradsen, Savage, 91-93—184; Remi Pederson, Forsyth, 93-97—190; Haley Sander, Manhattan Christian, 95-96—191; Aspen Peterson, Savage, 93-99—192; Emma McPherson, Savage, 101-93—194; Fiona Roberts, Gardiner, 107-92—199.
Team scores: Savage 285-285—570; Centerville 300-284—584; Manhattan Christian 317-309—626; Absarokee 327-307—634; Plentywood 333-319—652; Scobey 322-332—654; Fort Benton 328-330—658; Seeley-Swan 358-319—677.
For full first-round results, click here. (Sign in using GGID code: 25statec)
