BIG SKY — In just its first year in Class B, moving up from Class C last season, the Lone Peak girls golf team won state.
Last season, the team just nearly missed a first place title at the state tournament, which motivated the Big Horns coming into this season.
"We got second by one stroke, so we definitely wanted to get that back and get a championship under our name," said Lone Peak sophomore Cate Leydig, who led the way by finishing second in the overall individual standings. "So, I think that played a huge role in our success this year, for sure."
The team remained steady throughout the tournament by supporting one another.
"If I would have a bad shot, I’d think, 'This is for the team,'" Lone Peak sophomore Olivia Kamieniarz said. "It’s not just me, and so, I would just think of the team. And like, we can do this, we can win. We were basically there last year."
Class B and C schools combine for regular season tournaments, so the only major difference in moving up this year was seen in the postseason because the Big Horns solely competed against their new class at divisionals and state with a format also new to them.
"The girls had an amazing Day 1, all four of them," Lone Peak coach Jenny Wilcynski said. "So, we’re in Class B now where they take five scores, and they score the best four. Which, because we only have four players, everyone is game on."
The Big Horns led after Day 1, so they just kept their foot on the gas in the final day.
"We didn’t get too complacent," Leydig said. "Once again, it was just play. Don’t think about the leaderboard. One shot at a time."
What makes this title even more impressive is that the team is made up of all sophomores.
Maddie Wilcynski joined the team this season, switching over from track, wanting to be apart of a title run.
"It’s cool to see the jump from them, seeing how they wanted to strive to definitely get the championship this year," she said. "It’s just cool to be apart of something that’s bigger than myself and with my team."
The four girls have been friends since kindergarten. They’ve been playing the sport for years as well — a combination for success.
"All of us have been playing since we were so young, and we’ve all been friends for so long," Lone Peak sohpomore Dylan Manka said. "So, I think when it comes time for golf season. We’re all just really like practicing and know what we need to work on and doing that daily just to stay in the groove."
The future is bright for this squad too, who will have two more seasons competing together.
"I like it," Jenny Wilcynski smiled. "I like where we’re at, and the fact that these girls are just sophomores is pretty exciting."
"With what we had this year, and if we can just keep improving, then I think we should be in a good spot for years to come," Manka said.
