Black Hills' Johnson caps prep career with top-5 finish at state

May 20-As Ellie Johnson walked off the 18th green, she made eye contact with a few of her supporters that were cheering her on from the cart path.

Before even moving her bag from the side of the green, Johnson beelined towards them, sharing a few hugs before heading to report her score to tournament officials.

Afterwards, she took photos with teammates, her sister and parents, and her grandparents, who traveled from Montana to watch her compete.

"It's crazy to think that my high school golf career is over," Johnson said. "I was saying goodbye to my friends and reflecting on who's supported me. It was really good to hug them and just embrace the moment."

The Black Hills senior capped her prep golf career in style on Wednesday at Riverside, finishing fourth at the 2A State Girls Golf Championships after shooting a two-day total of 158 (+14).

The fourth-place finish gives her second state medal in a row, as she finished seventh last season, and it's her third-straight Top 20 finish at state. She finishes her high school career having made the state tournament all four years.

"Each year, I've just been trying to improve upon myself," Johnson said. "I just wanted to keep my composure and just try to make myself proud. I'd say I'm pretty proud of how I finished."

Johnson's final day couldn't have started much better.

She birdied her first hole, a 323-yard Par 4, and she followed with another birdie on a 289-yard Par 4 two holes later.

"It gave me a bit of confidence," Johnson said. "It was nice having some of those longer putts go in, because yesterday they were not falling. It kind of helped me have a cushion going into the first nine."

Johnson shot 1-over par over the next six holes before bogeying six of the final nine. She rounded out her afternoon with a great drive on Hole 18, which she chipped onto the green and two-putted to end the day with a par.

"When I make a bogey, I just try to move on to the next hole," Johnson said. "My mentality is just, like, if I'm out of position, just take my medicine. What my score is is what my score is."

After she received her individual medal, Black Hills coach Jackson Martin watched as she took her post-tournament photos.

Martin became the Black Hills coach three years ago, when Johnson entered her second season golfing.

"She's come a long way from the little sophomore that I coached at state in Spokane," Martin said. "She's just gotten better and better and more confident in her game. She's been a great example for the school and her team. I'm lucky to have a player like that."

Also competing on Day 2 of the state tournament at Riverside were W.F. West's Joelie Corey and Anabel Moeckel.

Corey finished with a two-day total of 192, good for a tie for 26th, and Moeckel finished with a two-day mark of 201, which put her in 39th.

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