MISSOULA, Mont. – As expected, both the Lewis-Clark State College men’s and women’s golf team rolled to a pair of victories in the Frontier Conference Tournament and will face Rocky Mountain for the title.
The Warriors, the No. 2 seed in both the men’s and women’s tournaments, defeated both Great Falls and Carroll College in 18-hole play on Monday at Larchmont Golf Course and will take on top seed Rocky Mountain in 36-hole play on Tuesday. The winners of the two matches earn automatic bids to their respective national tournaments.
This is the first year the conference has followed a single-elimination bracket to determine the postseason champion. The bracket seeds were determined on how each team finished overall in the three conference tournaments during the fall and spring.
Rocky Mountain won the regular season title in both men’s and women’s play, but the Warrior men have been the team to beat this spring. LCSC won the title at the third and final conference regular-season tournament this spring and then shot the best team score on Monday.
The Warrior men started the day by defeating Great Falls 284-360. The 284 score was the best of the day and edged Rocky Mountain’s second-round total of 285. Rocky received a bye in the opening round.
The LCSC men then defeated Carroll College 291-298 with all five players shooting 76 or better.
Junior Connor McCracken, who won the conference’s Player of the Year award, shot a 65 during the Great Falls match to pace the Warriors, while Scott Mooney and Chris Jarrett matched par at 72. Jarrett then led the Warriors against Carroll with a 71, while McCracken shot a 72.
On the women’s side, the Warriors will have their work cut out for them to beat Rocky Mountain today. Not only has Rocky defeated LCSC in every tourney this season, but LCSC’s top golfer, Cortney Shrout, suffered a back injury during Monday’s play and may not be at full strength on Tuesday.
Shrout, the FC Golfer of the Year for the second straight season, helped LCSC to a 317-389 first-round win over Great Falls by shooting a 77. Heather Bruce had a 78, while Sue James had an 80.
In the second match, LCSC defeated Carroll 325-334 as Bruce led the way with a 75. Shrout, who injured her back during the round, gutted it out for an 82, while Alana Norris had an 83.
Rocky Mountain posted the top team score on the women’s side during Monday’s play with a 307.
By being the conference golfers of the year, McCracken and Shrout have already earned spots in the national tournament, but both teams will probably have to win today to qualify for nationals, although the women’s team, ranked No. 20, could possibly receive an at-large berth.
MEN
LCSC 284, GREAT FALLS 360
LCSC scores – Connor McCracken 65, Scott Mooney 72, Chris Jarrett 72, Ben House 75, Kyler Nilsson 77.
LCSC 291, CARROLL 298
LCSC scores – Chris Jarrett 71, Connor McCracken 72, Ben House 74, Scott Mooney 74, Kyler Nilsson 76.
WOMEN
LCSC 317, GREAT FALLS 389
LCSC scores – Cortney Shrout 77, Heather Bruce 78, Sue James 80, Alana Norris 82, Chelsea Haycock 86.
LCSC 325, CARROLL 334
LCSC scores – Heather Bruce 75, Cortney Shrout 82, Alana Norris 83, Sue James 85, Chelsea Haycock 86.
