HELENA — Billings West's Bella Johnson and Helena Capital's Joe McGreevey are in the lead following the first round of the Class AA state golf tournament Thursday at Green Meadow Country Club.
Johnson, the defending girls state champion, fired a first-round 73, a 1-over-par score that has her leading second-place Kenzie Walsh of Billings Senior by three strokes. Kalispell Glacier's Chloe Tanner is in third after shooting 6-over 78.
McGreevey, who finished in a tie for fourth place at state last season, shot out to a five-stroke lead Thursday with a score of 65, a blistering 6-under par. Capital's Dutch Teders is in second after shooting 1-under 70, while Butte's Jack Prigge and Billings Skyview's Logan Connolly sit in a tie for third, each with a 1-over 72.
With McGreevey and Teders leading the way, Capital shot 295 and is out to a 14-stroke lead in the boys team competition over second-place Kalispell Glacier (309) and third-place Butte (310).
Behind Johnson, defending champion West is on top of the girls race, having shot a cumulative 328. Senior is eight shots back in second at 334 and Bozeman Gallatin is third at 368.
Thursday's first round was paused due to lightning and rain but eventually resumed. The second and final round begins Friday morning at Green Meadow.
State AA golf
First round
at Helena
BOYS
Team scores: Helena Capital 295, Kalispell Glacier 309, Butte 310, Billings Skyview 311, Kalispell Flathead 318, Bozeman 326, Billings West 327, Bozeman Gallatin 329, Missoula Sentinel 342, Missoula Hellgate 368.
Top 10 individuals: Joe McGreevey, Helena Capital, 65; Dutch Teders, Helena Capital, 70; Jack Prigge, Butte, 72; Logan Connolly, Billings Skyview, 72; Gavin Klein, Bozeman Gallatin, 73; Tyler Avery, Kalispell Glacier, 73; Cooper Bourret, Bozeman, 76; Trevor Cunningham, Kalispell Glacier, 76; Jackson Eckley, Billings Senior, 76; Tye Boone, Billings Skyview, 77; Tyler Brunner, Billings Senior, 77; Kyler Meredith, Helena Capital, 77.
GIRLS
Team scores: Billings West 328, Billings Senior 334, Bozeman Gallatin 368, Bozeman 374, Great Falls CMR 387, Missoula Hellgate 390, Kalispell Glacier 413, Helena Capital 426, Butte 435.
Top 10 individuals: Bella Johnson, Billings West, 73; Kenzie Walsh, Billings Senior, 76; Chloe Tanner, Kalispell Glacier, 78; Addiley Lloyd, Bozeman Gallatin, 80; Hanna Boyd, Great Falls, 80; Becca Washington, Billings Senior, 81; Anna Stensrud, Missoula Hellgate, 82; Mielle Kavran, Billings West, 83; Megan Voegele, Billings West, 85; Kira Connell, Bozeman, 85.
