It was a good news day for the Lewis-Clark State College men’s golf team on Monday, but not so good for the Warrior women’s golf squad.
With two inches of snow on the ground and more snow falling in Great Falls, Mont., the sixth and final Frontier Conference golf tournament of the season was cancelled on Monday.
That means the five conference tournaments that were played determined the final conference standings. The LCSC men won the conference title by 57 strokes over Rocky Mountain, while Montana Tech finished third. Even if the final 54-hole event (36 holes on Monday and 18 on Tuesday) could have been held, it would have taken a major collapse by the Warrior men not to claim the title.
On the other side, however, the Warrior women have to settle for second place 17 shots behind Rocky Mountain. The Warriors gained eight strokes at the last tournament and were looking forward to the opportunity to possibly catch RMC in the final event.
Both Warrior teams are ranked in the NAIA Top 25 polls and are expected to receive berths to their respective national tournaments. By winning the conference title, the men earn an automatic berth to the NAIA national tournament, which will take place on May 19-22 at the TPC Deere Run course in Silvis, Ill. The women are ranked in the NAIA Top 25 and should receive an at-large berth to the NAIA women’s national tourney, which is May 12-15 at the Meadowbrook Municipal Golf Course in Rapid City, S.D. The qualifiers for the women’s tourney will be announced on Friday.
Because of the final tournament being called off, the Frontier Conference’s overall women’s champion is a tie between LCSC junior Cortney Shrout and Rocky Mountain’s Jen Orchard. Both had 1,191 total strokes in the first five tourneys. LCSC freshman Madeline Jarrett was third at 1,200.
On the men’s side, LCSC went 1-2 with Connor McCracken earning the title and Chris Kneen finishing second just two shots behind.
FINAL OVERALL TEAM STANDINGS
Men – 1, Lewis-Clark State 4,392. 2, Rocky Mountain 4,449. 3, Montana Tech 4,483. 4, Caroll 4,551. 5, Westminster 4,754. 6, Montana Western 4,932. 7, Great Falls 4,979.
Women – 1, Rocky Mountain 4,844. 2, Lewis-Clark State 4,861. 3, Carroll 5,223. 4, Montana Tech 6,015. 5, Westminster 7,013. 6, Great Falls 7,062.
LCSC individual finishers
Based on players who completed 15 rounds
Men – 1, Connor McCracken 1,090. 2, Chris Kneen 1,092. 5, Scott Mooney 1,107. 8, Patrick Casabonne 1,113. 14, Chris Jarrett 1,145.
Women 1, tie, Cortney Shrout 1,191. 3, Madeline Jarrett 1,200. 6, Juanita Villa 1,239. 7, Chantelle Beveridge 1,247. 9, Katie Fuqua 1,258. 12, Jordan Knapp 1,312
