HAMILTON – The hometown boys, and a group of girls making a very long trip took leads after the first round of the State A golf tournament in Hamilton. The hosting Broncs hold team and individual leads with 18 holes to go. So do the ladies from Sidney.

The final round tees off Saturday at 10 a.m.

Hamilton’s Max Toenjes came in as one of the favorites on his home course. And he didn’t disappoint. A fast start helped Toenjes finish with a three-under par 69. He holds a four-shot lead over defending State A champion Liam Clancy of Billings Central. Last year, Clancy won the state tournament in Sidney, beating the second-place Toenjes by five shots. Third place Paul O’Neil of Laurel sits 9 shots back.

The Hamilton boys team also finished second to Billings Central last year. But the Broncs have set themselves up for a title, with a 17-shot advantage over Polson. Billings Central and Laurel are tied for third.

Not much separates the top girls at the halfway point. Sidney’s Kaelyn Volk, an 8th place finisher at state last year, holds a slim one-shot lead after a first round 82. Butte Central’s Tricia Joyce and Breilyn Riggin of Glendive are tied for second. Joyce finished as the state runner-up a year ago. The top five ladies are all within three shots of the lead. Lewistown’s Kinsey Irvin trails by two. Frenchtown’s Courtney Ockler and Sidney’s Tierney Messmer trail by three.

Volk and Messmer have helped the Sidney girls build a 17-shot lead on the team leaderboard. Whitefish and Lewistown round out the top three. Whitefish topped Sidney for the team title last year.

BOYS TEAM
1. Hamilton 312
2. Polson 329
T3. Billings Central 333
T3. Laurel 333
5. Livingston 336
6. Butte Central 352
7. Miles City 353
8. Whitefish 364
9. Belgrade 369

BOYS INDIVIDUAL
1. Max Toenjes, Hamilton – 69
2. Liam Clancy, Billings Central – 73
3. Paul O’Neil, Laurel – 78
T4. Tyge Yellenich, Butte Central – 79
T4. Tristan Hanson, Hamilton – 79
T4. Carson McDaniel, Polson – 79
T4. Dustin Haas, Havre – 79
T8. Blaine Wetzsteon, Hamilton – 80
T8. Kelly Irion, Miles City – 80

GIRLS TEAM
1. Sidney 369
2. Whitefish 386
3. Lewistown 395
4. Billings Central 408
5. Polson 423
6. Havre 426
7. Frenchtown 452
8. Hamilton 453
9. Dillon 468

GIRLS INDIVIDUAL
1. Kaelyn Volk, Sidney – 82
T2. Tricia Joyce, Butte Central – 83
T2. Breilyn Riggin, Glendive – 83
4. Kinsey Irvin, Lewistown – 84
T5. Courtney Ockler, Frenchtown – 85
T5. Tierney Messmer, Sidney – 85
7. Dani Flynn, Frenchtown – 88
8. Hayley Hileman, Whitefish – 89
T9. Gracie Young, Whitefish – 92
T9. Sophia Mascarena, Billings Central – 92