(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

Hailey Schalk barely had time to scoop the ball out of the cup on the 36th hole of the 2017 Class 3A girls state golf tournament before sky-high expectations were being placed on her by observers.

This freshman girl who couldn’t even drive herself to the golf course was going to become the first golfer in Colorado history to sweep her way through every season and claim four state titles, they said, and become of one the best high school golfers in state history, if not the best ever.

It was a lot of pressure to heap on a young athlete.

Contrary to the instant-reaction world of 2020, the reality is that greatness takes time to rear its head regardless if it’s golf, basketball or any other sport.

Especially if the topic at hand is now a high school senior on the verge of continuing her golf career at the University of Colorado.

To be fair, however, when Schalk won her first title, she did it in convincing fashion at the Broadlands in Broomfield. She shot a 6-under-par-65 on the first day which at the time was her career best. The championship was the end of a season in which she had felt herself gaining momentum well before the start of the state tournament.

“I had been playing really good golf my freshman year,” she said. “I was really confident going into that state championship. There were really good girls there like Charlotte Hillary (Kent Denver) and Caroline and Marie Jordaan (Colorado Academy). They were really good competition of mine for many years.”

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

The proved to be the case the next year when Caroline Jordaan held the Day 1 lead at Elmwood in Pueblo. Schalk rallied to shoot a 67 in the final round to win title No. 2. She claimed her third title at a one-day state tournament at Pelican Lakes. Although she made winning state look easy, she was well aware of each challenge that each tournament provided.

“I don’t know if it felt easier,” Schalk said. “Going into that second state championship, there was an article saying I was going to win all four. There’s always pressure and that can get the best of you.”

Her shot at an historic fourth title was derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s far from the end of her golf journey. Schalk will stay close to home and play golf at the University of Colorado.

And looking beyond that, she has a recent example of just how great girls golfers from her area have the potential to be.

Like many others, she’s paid attention to the heights that Jefferson Academy alum Jennifer Kupcho has soared. A win at the Augusta National Women’s Am and an NCAA title are certainly benchmarks that Schalk can now shoot for.

It helps that from comparisons of their respective high school games, Schalk sees some similarities in how she and Kupcho have both played at that level.

“Exactly what Jennifer said (earlier this month), my short game has never been the best part of my game,” Schalk said. “Driving the golf ball and striking the ball has always been the best part. That’s given me an advantage the last four years. Anytime I can get on the green on a par 5 in two, it was always better than me trying to hit wedge in there.”

Schalk leaves Holy Family with the designation that there was never a state golf tournament that she played in and didn’t win. She handled the pressure of people claiming early in her career that she would win four and is now ready to tackle the game at the collegiate level.

So those reactions to her win freshman year came to fruition: Schalk did become one of the best at this level, if not the best ever.

She will continue remain focused on the task in front her, the very approach that allowed her to have arguably the greatest high school golf career in state history.

But her overall career path has yet to hit its apex. If the flight of that trajectory continues to rocket like a well-struck tee shot, her story is just beginning.

(Jon E. Yunt/CHSAANow.com)

(Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics Communications)

It wasn’t long ago that Jennifer Kupcho wasa going through a list of her proudest accomplishments with her swing coach. The Jefferson Academy alum has quite the list to get through as she has won championships at several levels of her career.

She won an NCAA championship at Wake Forest in 2018. In 2019 she made history by winning the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, the first organized women’s tournament to be held at the annual site of the Master’s.

As she went through her list, her coach, Ed Oldham, acknowledged that her high school state championships were every bit as important in her journey.

High school golf for Kupcho is where she started to gain momentum toward becoming the nation’s top-ranked amateur and a star in the making on the LPGA Tour.

“He told me that it was the big stepping point in getting to the national level and moving on to where I could compete in college,” Kupcho said. “I never really thought about it that way, but it’s definitely true right now.”

It was the first of many stepping stones Kupcho used to evolve into the elite player she is today. The first title came on May 20, 2014 at the Country Club of Colorado. She navigated her way around the Pete Dye design and overcame a tricky set of greens to finish the tournament at 2-over-par.

She won the tournament by 14 strokes.

(Courtesy of Mike Kupcho)

She made her way to River Valley Ranch in Carbondale the next year to defend her championship. By then she knew she was headed to Wake Forest to play for the Demon Deacons and looked every bit the part of a Division I golfer.

On the par-5 second hole, her drive landed in the middle of the fairway and she casually stepped up and knocked it on the green in two shots to give herself an eagle put. It seemed ordinary at the time, but looking back Kupcho knows that the biggest flaw in her game at that time made it crucial for her to get to the green as efficiently as possible.

“I was much more aggressive player then,” she said. “I was always going for greens and trying to make each shot as short as possible because my wedges weren’t that good and my overall short game wasn’t that good. So when I went for greens and I missed it, it was not a good combo.”

She claimed her second title with a 10-stroke win over Cheyenne Mountain’s Kylee Sullivan and tied a bow on a remarkable high school career.

(Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics Communications)

She continued making a name for herself at the collegiate level and battled her way to the individual NCAA championship in 2018.

It was an additional stepping stone on the path that had been laid out to her by Oldham. It was clear in high school that she had conquered girls golf in Colorado and now the focus started getting a little wider.

“I remember him saying to me at a young age, you’re the best in Colorado, now let’s get to the best in the country,” she said.

She worked her way up to become the top-ranked amateur in the United States.

“Once I got to the best in the country, now let’s get to the best in the world,” she added.

All indications are she’s on her way. Kupcho made perhaps her biggest historical impact last year as she claimed the first Augusta National Women’s Amateur championship.

Augusta National was long known for not allowing women to become members. That policy ended in 2012 when the club admitted Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore as its first female members.

The founding of the ANWA was intended to fuel the growth of women’s golf. The first 36 holes of the tournament were played at the Champions Retreat Golf Club in Evans, Georgia with the final 18 holes being contested between the top two players on the leaderboard. The two were Kuchpo and Arkansas’ Maria Fassi.

Kupcho shot five-under over the final six holes of the tournament to get the four-stroke win, forever placing her name in golf history.

“I’m starting to understand it more than I did,” Kupcho said. “Fast-forward a year, the week it was supposed to happen I was getting a bunch of media requests and I told my agent I didn’t understand why it was such a big deal, it happened a year ago.”

Her agent had to remind her that she had literally made history.

“Going through that week and reliving the day over after they replayed the event (on TV), it definitely sunk in a little bit more,” Kupcho said.

The next step was turning pro. She had earned her LPGA Tour card in November 2018, but delayed actually turning pro until she finished college. She made her professional debut at the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open.

She later made her way to France to compete in the 2019 Evian Championship which plays as a major on the LPGA Tour. In the final round of the tournament she carded a five-under-par-66 to finish in a three-way tie for second. At 13-under on the tournament, she finished two strokes behind champion Ko Jin-young out of South Korea.

But the second-place finish was just another sign of her growth as a golfer. It started when she was young, it continued when she won state championships at Jefferson Academy and hasn’t slowed down one bit.

(Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics Communications)

JEFFERSON COUNTY — It was a day for celebrations across Jeffco on Wednesday, Feb. 5.

Nearly 100 student-athletes from 11 different schools across the school district signed their National Letter of Intent on Wednesday. Feb. 5 marked the start of the Division I and II, along with the football regular signing period.

There is still one more signing period ahead that begins on April 15.

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Arvada West High School
Conner Bickford, soccer, Northeast Community College
Shayla Erickson, softball, Otero Junior College
Olivia Henkel, volleyball, Cornell College
Jay Lambert, baseball, Midland University
Justin Lepke, football, Western Colorado University
Noah McCandless, baseball, Garden City Community College
Nicholas Nuher, track, University of Colorado
Shelby Robb, softball, Metro State University
Isabelle Schwein, softball, Friends University
Addison Southwick, baseball, Augustana College
Braden Thomson, baseball, Feather River College
Josh Yago, lacrosse, Air Force Academy — Preparatory School

Bear Creek High School
Jose Ramos, football, Colorado State University-Pueblo
Josh Alejo, football, Harding University

Chatfield High School
Daniel Moore, baseball, University of Dubuque
Hayden Cross, baseball, McCook Community College
Cole Nash, cross country & track, University of Alaska-Anchorage
Abby Wilkinson, soccer, North Dakota State
Jacob Roybal, baseball, Mesa Community College
Jordan Ramirez, baseball, Northeastern Junior College
Garrick Levesque, baseball, Ventura Community College
Kyle Koppelmaa, baseball, Orange Coast College

Columbine High School
Ally Distler, softball, Colorado Mesa University
Annika Schooler, golf, South Dakota School of Mines
Makenna Riotte, lacrosse, Adams State University
Jackie Mudd, swimming, Biola University
Aden Sievert, lacrosse, Hood College
Adam Harrington, football, Middlebury College
Andrew Gentry, football, University of Virginia
Andrew Lauritzen, football, Missouri Western State
Braeden Hogan, football, Western Colorado University
Justin Lohrenz, football, Washington State University
Justyn Classen, football, St. Olaf College
Tanner Hollens, football, Colorado State University
Stephen Hughes, football, Concordia University-Nebraska
Joel Basile, baseball, Scottsdale Community College
Evan Johnson, volleyball, Trinity Christian College
Mark Thurman, baseball, Northeastern Junior College
Erica Mock, tennis, Whitman College

Conifer High School
Josey Nichols, softball, West Texas A&M
Kassidy Butler, lacrosse, Florida Southern College
Jordyn West, soccer, University of Nebraska-Omaha
Adie Brake, softball, Vernon College
Megan Wilkins, swimming, Arcadia University
Denali Douglas, volleyball, Union College

Dakota Ridge High School
Caley Akiyama, softball, Cottey College
Brianna Binder, volleyball, McKendree University
Luke Brandt, football, Bethel University
Kyle Cannon, football & track, Dakota State University
Matthew Heitmann, football, Air Force Academy
James Hess, football, Colorado School of Mines
Tia Krats, lacrosse, Regis University
Faith Lawson, softball, Oklahoma Wesleyan
Izaak McWilliams, football, Bethel University
Madeleine Nightengale-Luhan, volleyball, Colorado School of Mines
Connor Ohlson, cross country & track, Air Force Academy
Adam Rodriguez, golf, Loras College
Samantha Schmidt, lacrosse, Colorado State University-Pueblo

Green Mountain High School
Hunter Grogan, fencing, Vassar College
Kasey Klocek, cross country & track, South Dakota State
Sofia Parisi, beach volleyball, Concordia University
Braydon Schulz, baseball, North Dakota University of Jamestown
Trey Towndrow, football, Colorado Mesa University

Lakewood High School
Josh Beattie, baseball, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Olivia Desso, tennis, Chapman University
Caden Link, baseball, Pacific University
Faith Zehnder, volleyball, Holy Family University

Pomona High School
Sanjay Strickland, football, Colorado State University
Garrett Bishop, football, New Mexico State University
Adam Karas, football, Air Force Academy
Kyle Moretti, football, Central Michigan University
Chase Lopez, football, University of South Dakota
Trevor Baskin, basketball, Colorado Mesa University
Zoe Hendrix, soccer, Doane University
Ashlyn Mathers, softball, Augustana-Illinois
Bethany Tiscareno, softball, Otero Junior College

Ralston Valley High School
Payton Roberts, diving, University of Idaho
Riley Dmytriw, cross country & track, Colorado Christian University
William Wall, baseball, Whitman College
Paul Stone, swimming, Midland College
Braden Siders, football, University of Wyoming
Chase Wilson, football, Colorado State University
Caleb Rillos, football, Air Force Academy
Alexandrya Jacobs, soccer, Hastings College
JJ Galbreath, football, University of South Dakota
Ben Lenahan, golf, Whitman College
Ben Takata, football, Colorado School of Mines
Mitchell Morehead, football, Colorado School of Mines
Tanner Lallman, volleyball, University of the Southwest
Elizabeth Schweiker, cross country & track, Rice University
Parker Dorrance, baseball, Northeastern Community College
Walker Brickle, football, Colorado State University
Kaleb Tischler, football, South Dakota School of Mines
Ben Sampson, swimming, Colorado Mesa University

Standley Lake High School
Julianne Pelletier, cross country, Regis University
Jaren Cosby, football, Western Colorado University
Kevin Starnes, football, Nebraska Wesleyan University

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(Cannon Casey/CHSAANow.com)

When the U.S. Women’s Amateur golf tournament begins next month, it will feature some of the best golfers to come out of the state.

Both Erin Sargent and Lauren Lehigh – past girls golf state champions – qualified for country’s top amateur event last week at CommonGround Golf Course.

Lehigh is a two-time state champion out of Loveland. She finished the 2017 Class 4A tournament at a total of 8-over par to hold off teammate Aili Bundy and Glenwood Springs’ Lauren Murphy. She fell short of the 2018 title at the Country Club of Colorado but bounced back this last spring to win the 5A tournament and become a two-time champion.

To qualify for the Women’s Amateur, she shot a 1-over-par 73 and held off the 2019 3A champion, Colorado Academy’s Caroline Jordaan, in a playoff to take the last available spot out of CommonGround.

She joins 2016 4A champion Erin Sargent in the field. Sargent played for Silver Creek and finished third in 2015, the year that Jennifer Kupcho won her second straight state title.

The next year, she finished 5-over for the tournament to edge out Jordaan, a freshman at the time. Sargent is entering her senior season as a member of the University of Wyoming women’s golf team.

The 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur will be held at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Miss. The tournament begins with stroke play on Aug. 5.

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

The 2019 all-state girls golf teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.

These teams were created based upon results at the state championships.

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Class 5A

(Photo courtesy of Bill Stephens)

Golfer of the year: Lauren Lehigh, Loveland
Coach of the year: Andy Stevens, Fossil Ridge

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Class 4A

(Jenn Roberts-Uhlig/CHSAANow.com)

Golfer of the year: Hailey Schalk, Holy Family
Coach of the year: Kenny Anderson, Windsor

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Class 3A

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

Golfer of the year: Caroline Jordaan, Colorado Academy
Coach of the year: Beth Folsom, Colorado Academy

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

WINDSOR — Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet or cold temperatures can keep Hailey Schalk from her appointed rounds.

The Holy Family junior, who won back-to-back titles at Class 3A in 2017 and 2018, bumped up a classification with the Tigers and hasn’t skipped a beat.

On Monday at Pelican Lakes Golf Club, in the bitterly cold temperatures and constant precipitation, Schalk was as comfortable as could be en route to her even par round of 72. It will be good enough for a five shot lead over Mullen freshman Sofia Choi and six ahead of Vista PEAK’s Kylie Severin when they play together on Tuesday morning starting at 9 a.m.

“I’ve played in it a lot, honestly, and some pretty bad conditions, so that really kind of helps me when I come out here with this,” said Schalk, whose father Matt Schalk — the head professional at Colorado National — is the Tigers coach and was with her almost every brutally cold step of the day. “When we started, it was 30 degrees and sleeting; and I though if it was going to be like that the whole time, it was going to be crazy.

“But it died down. And it really doesn’t mess with me that much.”

Clearly.

The scary thing is that Schalk left a lot out on the course. Even in the horrible conditions, she managed to hit 16 of 18 greens and just had one birdie — on the short par-4 No. 8 — to show for her efforts.

On a day when par was a fantastic score, Schalk was quick to point out the missed opportunities.

“I can think back to at least two or three easy putts that I should have made,” said Schalk, who had four straight birdie putts on Nos. 15-18 within 12 feet — including six feet on the difficult finishing hole — that burned the edge. “They were putts that weren’t asking that much either.”

Having been in the drivers seat in the past, Schalk understands how to get it done on Day Two, and that being said, her approach on Tuesday is somewhere between conservative and aggressive.

“There just weren’t too many mistakes today,” she said. “And I think if I play that way tomorrow and get a few more putts to go in, I think it’ll be a good round.”

The host Windsor Wizard’s got off to a great start in the team race, firing a cumulative 253 that is good enough for a 21 shot lead over Niwot. Four teams are bunched up rounding out the top five, Durango (289), Littleton (290) and both Evergreen and Coronado (292) will all try to stay within shouting distance of the top two teams.

Windsor coach Kenny Anderson’s foursome of Jessica Zapf (79), Kinsey Smith (85), Brynn Ellis (89) and Sarah Johnson (89) will have the home course advantage on their side, but they all know and understand that the weather is the great equalizer and that anything can happen on Tuesday.

“One thing I told them was to expect the worst, and if it is better than the worst, then you are okay. It was bad at times … but it cleared up and it really wasn’t that bad,” said Anderson, a former baseball skipper at nearby University High in Greeley. “The golf course played super long. It is about 5,800 on the scorecard, but really with the temperature and the elements, closer to 6,300, so that makes Haiely’s score even more incredible.

“Based on what we do, let’s win Day One and if something happens, don’t be behind. We won Day One, now we go win tomorrow, and if we do that, we will be in pretty good shape. The girls hung in there and yeah, it is a home course and we had some advantages with some certain things, but we battled the elements and are in good shape. We did what we needed to do today and hopefully tomorrow we do the same.”

(Bethany Brookens/CHSAANow.com)

The second rounds of the girls golf championship tournaments in all classes have been cancelled due to unplayable courses on Tuesday, meaning the first-round results are final.

The 4A and 5A tournaments had hoped to be able to continue with shotgun starts Tuesday, but an overnight snowstorm left the courses at Pelican Lakes (4A) and Harmony (5A) unplayable. The course at Eagle Ranch (3A) is also unplayable, and the move to cancel was also made with safety concerns about travel.

The following message was sent to coaches:

After further consideration, we feel it prudent not to continue with the golf tournament for a number of reasons, including an unplayable course at this time and through the morning hours.

With the cancellation of Round 2, the first-round results will hold us as the final results, where players battled through tough conditions. Award ceremonies will be held at 9 a.m. at each golf course.

CHSAANow will have complete coverage following the award ceremonies.

(Adam Hothersall/CHSAANow.com)

(Jon E. Yunt/CHSAANow.com)

WINDSOR — It is in no way ideal, but sometimes you just have to roll with the punches.

Such is the case with the fickle spring weather in Colorado.

Mother Nature threw a monkey wrench — and some snow, rain and freezing temperatures — into the girls state golf championship plans and turned what was supposed to be a two-day affair, into a single round on Monday. In Windsor at Pelican Lakes Golf Course, the host Wizards claimed their second straight Class 4A title with a Monday score of 253 (37-over par) that was 21 shots better than runner-up Niwot (274).

“We just didn’t know what was going to happen and kind of what we wanted to have happen was to be first yesterday and if we play today then we will be first today as well,” Windsor coach Kenny Anderson said. “That was our mindset going in and fortunately we were able to accommodate that yesterday.”

The foursome of Jessica Zapf (79), Kinsey Smith (85), Brynn Ellis (89) and Sarah Johnson (89) was fantastic for the Wizards all year long and it will be tough for Anderson to have to say good bye to three seniors that have brought back-to-back state title to the program.

“It’s setting in now because we are kind of in state championship mode,” said Anderson, who returns Ellis and a promising group of underclassmen next year. “The seniors won four regional titles in a row and it has been an incredible run for these girls. They are a special group and we will have fond memories and they have set the program up for the young girls behind them.”

(Jon E. Yunt/CHSAANow.com)

The medalist honors went to Holy Family junior Hailey Schalk. She joins Cherry Creek’s Lynn Ann Moretto (1995-97) and Mullen’s Ashley Tait (2002, 2004-05) — now the Mustangs’ coach — as the only three-time champions since the sport was sanctioned in 1990.

She can bet she already has her sights set on making history in 2020.

“I think it would be amazing to win four and I definitely want to, and I’m definitely going to keep working hard to get there,” said Schalk, whose Day 1 score of 72 was six shots better than both Mullen freshman Sophia Choi and Vista PEAK’s Kylie Severin. “Honestley, I think I can improve everywhere as long as I keep practicing like I am and maybe even harder, then I think I can get there.”

(Adam Hothersall/CHSAANow.com)

TIMNATH — Loveland’s Lauren Lehigh and Fossil Ridge have been crowned champions at the Class 5A girls golf state tournament following the cancellation of the second round.

Due to overnight snow that left the course at Harmony unplayable, the first-round results are now considered final. Lehigh (2-under par) and Fossil Ridge team (9-over) are state champions. Loveland was runner-up as a team.

“I’m ecstatic. It’s almost surreal,” Lehigh, the New Mexico commit, said Tuesday morning. “We went out yesterday knowing this (cancellation of Round 2) could happen, but to actually be here, being a state champion, and have the runner-up trophy with the team, it’s amazing.

“I would have loved to play obviously, but I’m happy with the results. When I found out, I was jumping around the hotel parking lot. It’s been incredible. Playing some amazing golf, making great friends with the girls in 5A, the girls in 4A [Loveland was in 4A before this season], it’s been amazing.”

Edging out Broomfield junior Meghan Vogt (1-under), Lehigh wasn’t the only one to pull out the close victory. Fossil Ridge defeated Loveland to win their first state title in school history by one stroke.

“It’s a real mixture of emotions,” Fossil Ridge Andy Stevens said. “We would have liked to have played 36 holes and had a complete championship but that being said, our girls played a hell of a round yesterday an earned this title. We were battling all day with Loveland neck-and-neck, and we were fortunate they were ahead of us (in completing the round), so we knew the score we needed to beat.”

In his eighth year with the program, Stevens clinched his second title this school year after also winning the 5A state title as the boy’s golf coach in the fall.

“We wanted our girls to just take it a shot at a time and not think about what-ifs and things of that nature,” Stevens said. “My staff and I were thinking [there may not be a round on Tuesday]. As a staff, we were strategizing on 18, and we did encourage the girls to play aggressively.

“We didn’t try to do anything that we haven’t talked about in practice rounds and things that we hadn’t already discussed. Eighteen is a reachable par-5 for all of our girls, and that was really the goal, to take advantage of those scoring opportunities.”

Played the same tournament in Loveland five years ago, the weather also shortened the event to one day. Both Lehigh and Fossil Ridge fought through the elements, and it was worth their while.

“I’m so proud of the girls in the way that they battled in brutal conditions yesterday,” Stevens said. “The weather was terrible, and my hats are off to them in getting the job done.”

Cherry Creek placed third as a team at +14, Arapahoe (+20) was fourth and Rock Canyon (+21) was fifth.

Individually, Regis Jesuit’s Katie Berrian (+1) placed third, while Fossil Ridge was paced by Olivia Steen (+2, fourth place) and Leigha Devine (+3, fifth place).

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

EAGLE — It wasn’t the ideal way to close it out. After three tries, Colorado Academy senior Caroline Jordaan is a state golf champion. The cancellation of the second day of the Class 3A girls golf tournament meant that Monday’s scores would hold up as the final results.

Jordaan shot a 1-under-par 71 to win the championship. The went 2-under on the front nine with her only gaff of the day coming on No. 14 where she made her only bogey of the tournament.

She would’ve been the first person to advocate for the tournament to continue, but as Colorado has shown over the last 48 hours, the weather is beyond unpredictable.

“It feels really good (despite the weather),” Jordaan said. “I feel like it’s been a long time coming and it feels great to end my senior year with two wins.”

Course conditions were mostly wet and cold on Monday, but nothing that prompted a stoppage in play.

Jordaan held a one-shot lead over Jefferson Academy’s Aubri Braecklein going into the 17th hole but the Jefferson Academy junior made double-bogey and bogey on the final two holes to give Jordaan a cushion.

A state runner-up three times, Jordaan claimed her first individual title, but is sharing the overall team championship with her teammates for the fourth time. Three times she got to do share it with her younger sister, Marie.

“It’s been great, especially with Marie here,” Caroline said. “I’ve always had such a great friendship with everyone on the team and we’ve had such a great program. I’ve been blessed with great coaches and team members.”

Marie shot 80 on Monday and Eva Pett shot 79 to clinch gold for the Mustangs. Kent Denver came away in second place and it was Sun Devils junior Charlotte Hillary who finished with Braecklein in a tie for second place at 3-under.

Like Jordaan, Colorado Academy coach Beth Folsom wished that the weather hadn’t messed with the tournament and that all kids had gotten the chance to play two rounds.

While a second round likely would have yielded the same result in the team race, she wanted to her girls to go out and earn it and to also have fun. Because at the end of the day, golf is fun.

“It’s symbolic of our entire season,” Folsom said. “It’s how the weather has been this season and we would’ve loved to play another day. As for winning, it’s always exciting because it’s always with a different group of kids.”

Jordaan is set to continue her golf career at the University of Denver. The win in her senior is special because it comes on the heels of her twin brother’s win at No. 1 singles in the 4A boys tennis tournament last fall.

Like Caroline, Ritcher was a three-time state runner up but came away with gold as a senior.

“I thought about that this morning,” she said. “I think it’s pretty cool that we can finish off senior year with two wins, individual and team.”

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)