KALISPELL — Becca Washington and Hudson Goroski entered Friday's final round within striking distance at Northern Pines Golf Course. And strike they did.
Billings Senior's Washington and Missoula Sentinel's Goroski captured individual titles after the final round of the Class AA state golf tournament, doing so in dramatic fashion.
Washington and Great Falls' Hannah Boyd each finished with a two-round total of 155 but Washington outlasted Boyd in two playoff holes. Meanwhile, Goroski shot a sizzling 4-under 68 on Friday and clipped Bozeman's Cooper Bourret 141 to 142 in total strokes.
In the team standings, Kalispell Glacier's boys took the top hardware with a collective two-round score of 592, just two strokes better than second-place Sentinel. It was even closer on the girls side, as Bozeman Gallatin edged Billings West by a single stroke, 697 to 698. Senior was third with a two-day score of 701.
Washington entered the day three strokes back of leader Boyd but chipped away as the final round moved along. She was aided by two birdies and an eagle on No. 5, which helped negate her four bogeys and one double bogey.
Boyd had five bogeys on Friday but did not card a birdie, and saw her three-shot lead close to a tie by day's end.
With the wind whipping, Washington and Boyd pushed on the first playoff hole, but Washington emerged victorious with a par on playoff hole No. 2 to win Senior's second straight individual state crown (Kenzie Walsh won in 2023) and Billings' fourth in a row overall (Billings West's Bella Johnson won in 2021 and 2022).
The top five on the girls side was rounded out by Bozeman's Kira Connell (81-82—163), and Gallatin's Kiah Holmes-Morrissey (165) and West's Mielle Kavran (165).
Sentinel's Goroski also had an eagle on his final round, scoring a 3 on the par-5 No. 10 hole. He added four other birdies and two bogies to improve by five strokes from Thursday's first round.
In the end he was one shot ahead of Bourret, who led after Round 1. Bourret's second-round score was an even-par 72.
Sentinel's Jack Schaefer and Glacier's Sam Engellant finished four strokes back of Goroski while Helena Capital's John Gilbert, who was one shot behind Bourret at the start of the day, tied with Kalispell Flathead's Dylan Morris for fifth place at 146.
Class AA state golf tournament
Final round
Friday at Northern Pines Golf Course, Kalispell
BOYS
Team scores: Kalispell Glacier 302-290—592; Missoula Sentinel 297-297—594; Bozeman 300-305—605; Helena Capital 309-308—617; Billings West 308-313—621; Bozeman Gallatin 318-321—639; Billings Skyview 317-323—640; Butte 317-323—640; Kalispell Flathead 330-326—656; Billings Senior 330-343—673; Missoula Big Sky 341-345—686.
Top 15: Hudson Goroski, Sentinel, 73-68—141; Cooper Bourret, Bozeman, 70-72—142; Jack Schaefer, Sentinel, 73-72—145; Sam Engellant, Glacier, 73-72—145; John Gilbert, Capital, 71-75—146; Dylan Morris, Flathead, 74-72—146; Torren Murray, Glacier, 79-68—147; Zander Brester, West, 74-75—149; Reid Wilkinson, Bozeman, 73-77—150; Jack Pinski, CMR, 73-77-150; Isaac Mosser, Skyview, 76-75—151; Luke Nelson, Glacier, 76-76—152; Jonah Wynne, Glacier, 74-78—152; Brenner Booth, Butte, 77-75—152; Jack McKee, Bozeman, 74-79—153; Billy Benjamin, Skyview, 76-77—153.
GIRLS
Team scores: Bozeman Gallatin 356-341—697; Billings West 350-348—698; Billings Senior 352-349—701; Bozeman 359-345—704; Helena 381-379—760; Helena Capital 401-378—779; Kalispell Glacier 401-383—784; Belgrade 399-401—800; Butte 433-404—837.
Top 15: Becca Washington, Senior, 78-78—155 (won in playoff); Hanna Boyd, Great Falls, 78-77-155; Kira Connell, Bozeman, 81-82—163; Kiah Holmes-Morrissey, Gallatin, 84-81—165; Mielle Kavran, West, 85-80—165; Quincy Weymouth, 82-85—167; Addison Bleile, Gallatin, 85-88—173; Lilia Troxel, Belgrade, 82-92—174; Charlotte Rasper, Gallatin, 94-80—174; Anna Fenhaus, West, 84-91—175; Liv Kobold, Senior, 84-91—175; Paige Loberg, West, 87-89—176; Olivia McGreevey, Capital, 96-80—176; Avery Gardner, Bozeman, 93-84—177; Payton Tryan, Senior, 89-92—181; Heidi Huber, Bozeman, 92-89—181.
