Milton, Burnett hold on for wins

KALISPELL — Jack Muhlestein finished strong at the Kalispell Invitational on Thursday.

The Butte High junior followed a 6-over-par 76 at the Village Greens Golf Course with a 4-over 76 on the final round on the Buffalo Hill Golf Club. The 152 two-day total put Muhlestein at 10th place on a boys’ leaderboard that was crowded with some of the state’s best players.

Max Milton of Polson followed a 66 with a 68 for an 8-under total of 134 to claim medalist honors. John Gilbert of Helena Capital shot a final-round 68 and placed second at 141.

Austin Kaufman of Helena High and Sam Alke of Gallatin tied for third at even-par 142. Alke improved two shots for a 70 on the final round. Kaufman hit a 72.

Capital won the team title at 598, topping second-place Polson by 10 shots. Glacier took third at 617. Butte High took seventh at 648.

Lane Lisac tied for 20th place in the field of 69 golfers. The Butte High freshman improved six shots for a 77 for a 160 total.

Junior Teagan Yelenich bounced back from a 90 on Wednesday for a final-round 78 and a 168 total. Sophomore Miles Choquette followed an 85 with an 88 for a 173, and classmate Beckham Kinsie followed an 85 with a 93 for a 178.

Hamilton’s Cameron Burnett shot a final-round 81 to hold on for medalist honors on the girls’ side. That followed an opening 74 for a 155 total.

Karlee Brown of Whitefish improved three shots for a 78 and took second at 159. Aerin Ryan of Gallatin slipped three shots for an 83 to place third at 163.

Butte High senior Kate DeShaw placed 14th in a field of 60. She followed a 93 with a 94 for a 198 total. Junior Sage Leber improved six shots for a 96 and a 198. That tied her for 22nd place.

Also for Butte High, freshman Lilly Carden finished at 218, sophomore Lilly Sandoval ended at 224, and sophomore Julia DeShaw finished at 231.

Gallatin won the team title at 666, easily outpacing second-place Whitefish, which finished at 697. Belgrade took third at 774. Butte High finished ninth at 820.

Complete results are available on the Golf Genius app. The GGID is GRBKR7.

The Bulldogs will host the Butte High Invitational next Thursday and Friday at Fairmont Hot Springs.