Internal competition fuels Bishop Kelly boys golf to another 5A state title
Members of the Bishop Kelly boys golf team stayed at teammate Charlie Hilvers’ house the past three nights.
With a putting green and a pool in the backyard — remember those 80-degree days this week? — there was plenty of fun to be had.
But the Knights were all business when they hit the golf course.
Bishop Kelly cruised to its fifth consecutive 5A state tournament championship, shooting a two-day combined 33-over 601 at Purple Sage Golf Course. Twin Falls (633) took second and Skyline (639) was third.
“They’ve played well all year, so it made my job easy as a coach of just kind of telling them before the tournament, if you just play your game, we’re going to be just fine,” Bishop Kelly coach Taylor Judy said Saturday. “Watching them navigate the golf course the way they did today, especially being juniors and a sophomore, I was super proud of them.”
Running on what he called “six hours of sleep,” Bishop Kelly junior Aiden Szentanai fired a 3-under-par 68 on Friday and followed it up with a one-over 72 on Saturday to seize the individual title with a two-round total of 140.
Szentanai had his own teammates nipping at his heels, with Hilvers (145) taking second overall and junior Dan Moodie (149) claiming third in a scorecard playoff.
“It definitely keeps me focused,” Szentanai said. “Because I’ve got my buddy Charlie who’s always trying to beat me. ... It’s fun because we push each other to get better, and when we do that, it ends up translating to our team score.”
Szentanai started Saturday’s round with bogies on four of his first eight holes, but he racked up four birdies the rest of the way and shot a 2-under on the back nine for the win.
“He’s probably the easiest kid that you could ever coach, in the sense that you can’t tell if he’s 6-over par or 6-under par. His body language doesn’t change,” Judy said. “His mentality of attacking the golf course doesn’t change.
“... To have a rough front nine (for him) like he did today and to watch him go 2-under on the back nine, just to watch him flip that switch, is something that not a lot of kids have.”
Rounding out the scoring for the Knights was sophomore Cal Pape (167) in 28th and junior Henry Anderson (175) in 49th.
And with every golfer back next season, the Knights hope to keep their state streak going long into the future.
“It’s awesome. I’m super happy to continue the streak,” Szentanai said. “... Hopefully next year we can continue it.”
TWIN FALLS SWEEPS GIRLS TITLES
Gracee Payne carded rounds of 76 and 73 to win the individual girls championship and lead Twin Falls to the team title Saturday at Purple Sage.
Payne held off defending champion Cara Carter of Bishop Kelly by three strokes for the win. Carter shot an 8-over 79 on Friday but matched Payne with a 73 in Saturday’s final round.
The Bruins finished with a combined 670, well ahead of second-place Middleton (712) and third-place Bishop Kelly (722).
5A Golf State Tournament
Friday-Saturday
At Purple Sage Golf Course, Caldwell
Par 71
Boys team scores
1, Bishop Kelly 297-304—601 (+33)
2, Twin Falls 314-319—633 (+65)
3, Skyline 315-324—639 (+71)
4, Preston 323-326—649 (+81)
5, Lewiston 339-320—659 (+91)
6, Sandpoint 326-339—665 (+97)
7, Century 330-337—667 (+99)
8, Hillcrest 331-347—678 (+110)
9, Pocatello 339-348—687 (+119)
10, Middleton 344-344—688 (+120)
11, Skyview 345-350—695 (+127)
12, Jerome 347-363—710 (+142)
Boys individual scores
1, Aiden Szentanai, Bishop Kelly, 68-72—140 (-2)
2, Charlie Hilvers, Bishop Kelly, 73-72—145 (+3)
3, Dan Moodie, Bishop Kelly, 74-75—149 (+7)
4, Noah Salem, Idaho Falls, 76-73—149 (+7)
5, Liam McGee, Century, 72-78—150 (+8)
6, Tyler Zachary, Lakeland, 76-74—150 (+8)
7, Brody Payne, Twin Falls, 75-76—151 (+9)
8, Bode Eacret, Sandpoint, 74-80—154 (+12)
9, Tripton Beckstead, Preston, 78-77—155 (+13)
10, Braden Scott, Twin Falls, 78-77—155 (+13)
11, Mason Denning, Hillcrest, 76-80—156 (+14)
12, James Dunn, Twin Falls, 75-81—156 (+14)
13, Tanner Cole, Skyline, 76-81—157 (+15)
14, Matthew Lochhead, Middleton, 84-74—158 (+16)
15, Jaxon Lopez, Preston, 76-82—158 (+16)
16, Jake Taylor, Skyline, 77-82—159 (+17)
17, Ashton Literal, Lewiston, 82-78—160 (+18)
18, Jimmer Dalton, Skyline, 78-82—160 (+18)
19, Russell Larson, Emmett, 73-88—161 (+19)
20, Colt Walker, Lewiston, 84-78—162 (+20)
21, Nic Ward, Skyview, 83-79—162 (+20)
22, Dalton Vugrenes, Shelley, 80-83—163 (+21)
23, Ryan Tocheri, Skyline, 84-79—163 (+21)
24, Kyler Barker, Jerome, 82-82—164 (+22)
25, Brock Fairley, Lewiston, 87-79—166 (+24)
26, Tryce Feenstra, Mountain Home, 84-82—166 (+24)
27, Bracken May, Pocatello, 82-85—167 (+25)
28, Cal Pape, Bishop Kelly, 82-85—167 (+25)
29, Landon Kelly, Preston, 82-86—168 (+26)
30, Tyler Weiss, Sandpoint, 84-84—168 (+26)
31, Andrew Wilson, Jerome, 81-87—168 (+26)
32, Roman Sherry, Pocatello, 85-84—169 (+27)
33, Cole Reichert, Century, 82-88—170 (+28)
34, Landon Blewett, Lewiston, 86-85—171 (+29)
35, Titus Torres, Middleton, 86-85—171 (+29)
36, Michah Young, Sandpoint, 86-85—171 (+29)
37, Jake Thompson, Twin Falls, 86-85—171 (+29)
38, Kingston Taylor, Hillcrest, 85-86—171 (+29)
39, Trey Billings, Twin Falls, 87-85—172 (+30)
40, Logan Roos, Sandpoint, 82-90—172 (+30)
41, Ben Pilling, Burley, 87-85—172 (+30)
42, Kasen Bryce, Preston, 92-81—173 (+31)
43, Kyle SteidleyBlackfoot, 86-88—174 (+32)
44, Jaden Brady, Pocatello, 81-93—174 (+32)
45, Max Wheeler, Skyview, 86-88—174 (+32)
46, Ian Kawamura, Century, 83-91—174 (+32)
47, Tristan Ogden, Hillcrest, 87-88—175 (+33)
48, Deacon Morgan, Century, 93-82—175 (+33)
49, Henry Anderson, Bishop Kelly, 85-90—175 (+33)
50, Dieter Kesler, Hillcrest, 83-93—176 (+34)
51, Trayton Jensen, Skyline, 89-91—180 (+38)
52, Will Nixon, Skyview, 91-89—180 (+38)
53, Claytor , Preston, Pocatello, 91-90—181 (+39)
54, Daniel Kofoed, Middleton, 84-97—181 (+39)
55, John Tyson, Skyview, 85-96—181 (+39)
56, Beck Vaughan, Pocatello, 93-89—182 (+40)
57, Kyle Wells, Middleton, 90-93—183 (+41)
58, Thayne Broadhead, Preston, 87-97—184 (+42)
59, Coen Cooper, Century, 95-89—184 (+42)
60, Damon Hess, Jerome, 89-96—185 (+43)
61, Lincoln Graviet, Middleton, 94-92—186 (+44)
62, Everett Gilman, Sandpoint, 92-96—188 (+46)
63, Lucas Ganienay, Hillcrest, 90-103—193 (+51)
64, Keegan Sullivan, Skyview, 100-94—194 (+52)
65, Skyler Peterson, Jerome, 96-98—194 (+52)
66, Davis Sartini, Lewiston, 96-102—198 (+56)
67, Kale Bingham, Jerome, 95-105—200 (+58)
Girls team scores
1, Twin Falls 334-336—670 (+94)
2, Middleton 340-372—712 (+136)
3, Bishop Kelly 373-349—722 (+146)
4, Shelley 369-373—742 (+166)
5, Century 375-383—758 (+182)
6, Lakeland 386-406—792 (+216)
7, Lewiston 397-402—799 (+223)
8, Jerome 396-413—809 (+233)
9, Skyline 408-411—819 (+243)
Girls individual scores
1, Gracee Payne, Twin Falls, 76-73—149 (+5)
2, Cara Carter, Bishop Kelly, 79-73—152 (+8)
3, Mallory Higham, Shelley, 76-80—156 (+12)
4, Kambell Richards, Century, 83-79—162 (+18)
5, Ava Smith, Middleton, 79-85—164 (+20)
6, Kolette Jenkins, Twin Falls, 85-84—169 (+25)
7, Reagan Larson, Emmett, 84-85—169 (+25)
8, Julie Klefforth, Mountain Home, 86-83—169 (+25)
9, Emme Mickelsen, Skyline, 83-87—170 (+26)
10, Ellie Higham, Shelley, 82-92—174 (+30)
11, Katie Thompson, Twin Falls, 85-89—174 (+30)
12, Mae Lickley, Twin Falls, 88-90—178 (+34)
13, Lily Wagoner, Middleton, 88-92—180 (+36)
14, Abby Mann, Middleton, 83-99—182 (+38)
15, Shelby Arellano, Lewiston, 89-94—183 (+39)
16, Dani Russell, Lakeland, 90-94—184 (+40)
17, Erika Romrell, Idaho Falls, 90-94—184 (+40)
18, Emmajean Elquist, Century, 91-93—184 (+40)
19, Sophie Goss, Bishop Kelly, 100-85—185 (+41)
20, Olivia Pietrok, Middleton, 92-96—188 (+44)
21, Paige Carey, Lakeland, 87-104—191 (+47)
22, Adrie Western, Twin Falls, 98-94—192 (+48)
23, Madeleine Keller, Bishop Kelly, 94-98—192 (+48)
24, Lina Adalpe, Bishop Kelly, 100-93—193 (+49)
25, Capreece Beilke, Jerome, 100-93—193 (+49)
26, Dear Phongam, Nampa, 83-110—193 (+49)
27, Addyson Peterson, Jerome, 93-103—196 (+52)
28, Kathryn Norton, Idaho Falls, 94-105—199 (+55)
29, Ellie Austad, Lakeland, 98-101—199 (+55)
30, Cora Lott, Lewiston, 97-102—199 (+55)
31, Dempsey Smith, Jerome, 95-105—200 (+56)
32, Olivia Rydalch, Skyline, 99-102—201 (+57)
33, Evie Richards, Century, 94-109—203 (+59)
34, Londyn Williams, Shelley, 98-105—203 (+59)
35, Josey Hemphill, Lewiston, 106-102—208 (+64)
36, Oakley Leckington, Shelley, 113-96—209 (+65)
37, Marissa Peterson, Lewiston, 105-104—209 (+65)
38, Keeley McGeehan, Century, 107-103—210 (+66)
39, Saylor Soloaga, Middleton, 90-120—210 (+66)
40, Oakley Ransom, Skyline, 110-102—212 (+68)
41, Bridget Derbyshire, Lakeland, 111-107—218 (+74)
42, Sawyer Garrard, Jerome, 108-113—221 (+77)
43, Belen Miller, Century, 115-108—223 (+79)
44, Emma Sullivan, Bishop Kelly, 111-112—223 (+79)
45, Vayda Ortega, Jerome, 114-112—226 (+82)
46, Allyssum Kovac, Shelley, 125-110—235 (+91)
47, Harper McDevitt, Skyline, 117-120—237 (+93)
48, Katelyn Hyde, Skyline, 116-123—239 (+95)
49, Kalen Kelly, Lewiston, 120-127—247 (+103)
50, Kendal Prety, Lakeland, 122-134—256 (+112)
This story was originally published October 11, 2025 at 7:41 PM.
