The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

The Chinook Sugarbeeter Girls and Boys Golf Teams have certainly faced a number of obstacles that they had to overcome. It’s fair to say all teams have faced similar obstacles with a few managing to get on the course more than others. In Chinook’s case the entire team was never able to compete together at a meet, nor were they able to practice together on the course adding another challenge to how Head Coach Nick Turner and Assistant Coach Brent Schellin managed their practice schedule.

For the first month of the season the team split practices between the High School Auditorium and the Simulator on Main Street. For a couple of players, the first ball they ever hit on the course in tournament play came when they teed off for the first time at Anaconda Hills in the team's first meet. Turner addressed some of the issues the team dealt with, “It was a challenging year with how long the snow stuck around and the kids were getting frustrated golfing indoors, but that has really turned around the last month with conditions and weather that have allowed us to start playing rounds in Chinook. We are able to get lots of swings in.”

Turner is grateful to his predecessor, Mike Seymour who coached the team since it was first sanctioned and now serves as Head Groundskeeper at the Chinook Golf Course. “Mike has done a great job getting our course ready and has been very accommodating to the high school golfers. He got us 4 holes open when there was still snow on the course. So big thank you to him.”

This past week the Sugarbeeters took part in the Eastern C Divisional and advanced three to the Class C Girls and Boys Tournament. The State C will take place this Tuesday and Wednesday at the Anaconda Hills Golf Course in Great Falls. Turner will be attending the State Tournament as a Head Coach and talked about h the team’s approach to state, “I’m looking forward to my first trip to state and hopefully next year we will have the whole team qualify.

Turner added, “I’m taking senior Morgan Friede, sophomore Brockton Elliot and senior Ryan Meneely to the State C. Brockton almost made it last year. He was on the bubble. He’s worked hard to improve his game. This will be Morgan’s third appearance at state, and she has a good chance of being in the top 10 if her game stays consistent. Ryan has been in golf for three years and has really made some improvements to his game. If he can chip and putt this week he should do well. Ryan and Morgan have already played Anaconda Hills, so they have had a look at the course. This will be Brocktons first time there.