LAKEWOOD — Ralston Valley’s girls golf team was going after its third straight Class 5A Western Regional title Monday at Fox Hollow Golf Course.
However, Cherry Creek had a different plan. The Bruins dominated the tournament with all four players — Payton Canon, Kaylynn Xia, Rachel Penzenstadler and Alyssa Chin — all shooting rounds in the 70s to give Cherry Creek the team title with a team score of 229.
Ralston Valley junior Lexi Mueldener hits a chip on her second hole during the 5A Western Regional on Monday at Fox Hollow Golf Course in Lakewood. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“I hope it’s motivating for them,” Ralston Valley coach Wendy Davies said after having to settle for second place in the team standings with a score of 249, which just edged out ThunderRidge by a single stroke. “Cherry Creek played amazing. All props to them.”
Ralston Valley junior Sydney Eye, who struggled a little bit at regionals last year, was the Mustangs’ top golfer firing a round of 5-over-par, 77 to place her tied for fifth in the individual standings.
Eye was upset that she couldn’t gather in some birdies on her back-nine. The junior, who finished tied for ninth at the 5A state tournament last and was the 5A Jeffco League individual medalist his season, parred her final six holes Monday on the Meadows course.
“You can’t complain about a par, but I had so many birdie opportunities,” Eye said. “It happens, 77 isn’t bad, but it’s not great.”
Cherokee Trail senior Brooke Kramer took the medalist title Monday with a 1-over-par, 73. She edged out Broomfield sophomore Meghan Vogt by a stroke.
Ralston Valley junior Allie Nocera watches her drive on the Links at Fox Hollow Golf Course in Monday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Fellow junior Lexi Mueldener shot a round of 10-over-par, 82 to finish 10th in the individual standings. Juniors Allie Nocera (90) and Sophie Nelsen (92) competed in their first regional tournament for the Mustangs.
“If we play like that (at state) it will be tough for us to place as high as we would like at state,” Davies said. “I think it’s about a little more focus and a little more preparation. We have a few weeks to do that.”
Ralston Valley won its first-ever 5A girls golf state team title last year with then seniors Jordan Remley and Riley McKibbon helping to lead the way. Remley currently plays at the University of Wyoming.
“The team aspect has been different since we lost Riley (McKibbon) and Jordan (Remley),” Eye admitted.
Ralston Valley did grab the automatic team qualifier finishing second at regionals. The Mustangs have the advantage of having Eye and Mueldener both placing in the top-10 at state last year coming back.
Chatfield freshman Isabelle DiNapoli is headed to the state tournament after her round of 93 at regionals. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“I think it helps a lot, but I think we need to get our No. 3 (Nocera) and No. 4 (Nelsen) more comfortable playing in these big tournaments,” Eye said. “I think next year we’ll be better and more comfortable.”
The 5A state tournament will be May 21 and 22 at Boulder Country Club. While Ralston Valley was very familiar with the state venue of The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden last season, Eye admits she has never played this year’s state course.
“Going in kind of blind is always hard,” Davies said of playing at the Boulder Country Club. “But we have played multiple courses where we’ve gone in blind and played really well. They have enough confidence that it doesn’t matter the course.”
There was one other Jeffco golfer to qualify for state out of the Western Regional. Chatfield freshman Isabelle DiNapoli shot a round of 93 to get her into the state field.
Ralston Valley junior Sydney Eye is looking to improve on her 9th place finish last year at the Class 5A state tournament. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
COLORADO SPRINGS — Cheyenne Mountain is hoping that Monday’s result is a preview of things to come in three weeks.
The Indians cleaned up at the Cheyenne Mountain Invitational as Maxine Choi shot a 9-over-par-80 to claim a gold medal, while the Indians shot 263 overall to claim the team championship.
“It was nice,” coach John Carricato said. “I think it was a little bit of an upset. Coronado has been playing really well all season long, so I was a little surprised.”
The Cougars finished second as a team and had to players (Kate Griffin and Madi Eurich) finish in the top 10 individually.
But the Indians got a huge boost from freshman Milan Katalin and junior Grace Samuelson, who both shot under 100 for the day. It has been Choi, however, who has paced the team for the bulk of the season. With the state golf tournament three weeks away, she has reason to be encouraged by Monday’s result.
The Class 4A tournament will be at the Country Club of Colorado, the site of Monday’s tournament.
“It’s just a home course and where we play every day,” Choi said. “I know it like the back of my hand.”
Choi finished eighth at last year’s state tournament, but has put together a consistent season for Cheyenne Mountain. She spent all offseason trying to fine-tune her work on the course and says she has noticed a difference this year.
“My distance has gone up at least 10 yards with each club,” she said. “I have that advantage now. On par-4’s, I have about 60 yards coming in, so that’s pretty hard to mess up.”
Choi went without a birdie in the round and limited herself to just one double-bogey, which came on the par-5 12th. She went on to make par on five of her last six holes.
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
That was good enough to hold off Discovery Canyon freshman Christian Cheng. Her two birdies of the day came on 17 and 18, the latter of which she got on a long putt from the first cut off the green.
“I really did well putting today,” Cheng said. “I know I’m going to have to do that when state comes.”
With Monday’s wins and the fact that Cheyenne Mountain has now gone two years without winning a team state title, it would appear that expectations are becoming higher for what this team can do late in May.
But for Carricato, and by osmosis his girls, the focus is not on ending any kind of drought. He would much rather focus on getting his girls ready for the next few weeks and simply getting them to play the best they can.
“I don’t like getting wrapped up in the past or wrapped up in outcomes,” Carricato said. “I’m about the process. I just want them to be in the moment.
Ralston Valley junior Sydney Eye tees off on the first hole at The Club at Rolling Hills. Eye won the Class 5A Jeffco League medalist title this spring. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
GOLDEN — A lot of the top golfers were at The Club at Rolling Hills on Monday for the annual Ashley Forey Tournament.
The tournament has be going strong for more than two decades. The tournament is in memory of Wheat Ridge High School student-athlete Ashley Forey who died in a car accident.
The Ashley Forey also served as the final Class 5A and 4A Jeffco League tournament of the spring. Ralston Valley, defending 5A state champion, wrapped up the 5A Jeffco League title while Valor Christian clinched the 4A Jeffco crown.
Ralston Valley junior Sydney Eye took home the 5A Jeffco medalist title. On the 4A side, Golden senior Makena Prey edged Valor sophomore Sam Schoenborn for the medalist crown.
Grand Junction’s Gracie Olkowski is seeing nothing but red numbers lately, but that’s not really anything new when it comes to members of her family.
Big brother Trevor? He’s busy in California this week as he made the six-man roster for the University of Colorado men’s golf team. As a freshman, he’s competing for the Buffs in the Pac-12 Championships.
Other brother Canon? He finished third at last fall’s Class 5A state golf tournament at CommonGround. He has also committed to play golf for the Buffs.
But the spring is Gracie’s time.
She won Tuesday’s Aspen Invitational, shooting a 1-under-par-69. That followed up her performance at the Fruita Monument Invitational on Monday, where she also shot a 69 to go for the win.
“She is just determined,” Grand Junction coach Sandy Stormy said. “Gracie actually played as the No. 2 for us to start the season because we had a freshman come in so strong. It’s pushed Gracie a lot and she’s matured and she’s more determined to play well.
All told, Olkowski has six wins on the year and has Grand Junction in a position to head into next month’s state tournament as a threat to come away with a championship.
Olskowski finished tied for 24th at last year’s 5A tournament at Rolling Hills in Golden. Her rounds of 84 and 87 seem like a distant memory compared to the way she has played since the 2018 season has started.
In eight tournaments that Olkowski has played on full-length courses, she has gone over par just three times. Her net scoring total relative to par is 8-over. She has yet to bleed into the 80’s this year.
“This year, I’ve put a lot more positive work in during the offseason,” Gracie said. “I’ve tried to focus more on practicing and making sure I’m practicing better than I was last year.”
Canon Olkowski. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
As just a sophomore, she’s already well on her way to following in the feats of her older brother, if not topping what they were able to do. Trevor went through four years of high school without winning a state title, although he did finish in the top 10 three times. Canon has seen a similar trajectory as Trevor. He’s had three attempts to win a state title, but finished as high as third.
With the 2018 state tournament at Boulder Country Club less than a month away, Gracie could be the first Olkowski to claim gold.
“I would feel really accomplished with that in living up to my brothers and what they’ve done in the sport,” she said. “They’ve been really great idols for me so to bring home a state championship would be a really great accomplishment.”
With Trevor already playing for the Buffs and Canon already committed to CU, it would seem natural that Gracie would have her eyes on Boulder. But she wants to make sure that she keeps all her options opened and even seemed open to the idea of playing in a little bit of a warmer climate.
But that’s two years down the road. For now, Gracie is only focused on what she can accomplish this year.
And if she plays the way she has this week, the idea of winning a 5A state title as a sophomore isn’t far-fetched. If she pulls it off, perhaps her older siblings will be looking up to her.
COLORADO SPRINGS — Lily Noteboom, Alex Hill and Ashlyn Wilmot all shot well enough to give Rampart the team win at Thursday’s Liberty Invitational at Pine Creek Golf Club. Cheyenne Mountain’s Maxine Choi shot a 6-over-par-78 to take the individual win.
COLORADO CITY — Rye’s Rachel Shaffer won the individual title and the Thunderbolts took advantage of their home course, winning the team title at Thursday’s Tri-Peaks girls golf tournament.
MONTROSE — Grand Junction’s Gracie Olkowski won the Montrose Invitational at Black Canyon on Tuesday, helping the Tigers win the team title, as well.
Olkowski shot ever par to win. Rifle’s Elly Walters was second at 6-over, and Grand Junction’s Brittlyn Odell (9-over) finished third. Rifle’s Masi Smith was fourth at +10, and Taylor Kettrell of Montrose (+12) was fifth.
Grand Junction shot 26-over as a team to win. Rifle placed second at +42, with Montrose (+48) finishing third, Battle Mountain (+84) placing fourth, and Coal Ridge (+104) coming in fifth.
Jenna Greenlee (+17) also had a scoring round for Grand Junction.
Regis Jesuit’s Jaclyn Murray and Kent Denver’s Charlotte Hillary qualified for the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at Boone Valley Golf Club (Augusta, Mo.), which begins today.
Hillary’s score of 73 at Elks Country Club (Columbus, Neb.) was the best score in her qualifying group.
Pomona High School graduate Brandon Micale, fourth from the right, after receiving the 48th annual Freddie Steinmark Award on June 9. Micale was also named the Class 5A Male Jeffco Athlete of the Year. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
ARVADA — Pomona High School graduate Brandon Micale has collected multiple awards after the end of the 2016-17 school year.
The three-sport (football, wrestling and track) not only picked up the Class 5A Jeffco Male Athlete of the Year award June 9 during the 32nd annual Jeffco Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet, Micale was also presented the coveted Freddie Steinmark Award by the Colorado High School Coaches Association.
“It definitely means a lot to me to be recognized for all the accomplishments,” Micale said. “It seems like its just for this year, but it’s really for four years of hard work in the weight room and on the field.”
Micale, who will play football at the University of San Diego next fall, was also recognized at a Colorado Rockies game this month after being named the Colorado High School Activities Association Active Scholar Scholarship.
Pomona’s three-sport athlete Brandon Micale, left, stands with Mike Santarelli, Pomona Athletic Director. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
The Pomona graduate spent a lot of time last winter visiting multiple schools before deciding to head to the West Coast for college. Some of his visits included John Hopkins University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Micale helped lead Pomona to back-to-back 5A state football championship games. Was on back-to-back 5A state wrestling championship teams and helped the Panthers’ boys track team to a state title in 2016. All while tackling differential equations and linear algebra.
He finished off his outstanding prep athlete career winning the Class 5A boys discus event last month at the state track and field championships at Jeffco Stadium.
“That was huge for me,” Micale said of concluding his prep career by winning his lone individual state title. “I’ve won team titles with wrestling and track, but I always left at the end of the season with a fourth or third place individual title. It was the only season where I wasn’t like ‘darn’ at the end of the season. It was the first time I’ve ever rode home from a state championship happy. I left at the top.”
Ralston Valley’s four-sport (cross country, basketball, girls soccer and track) Sarah Bevington was named the 5A Jeffco Female Athlete of the Year.
Jeffco 5A Female Athlete of the Year Sarah Bevington, left, and Ralston Valley’s Athletic Director Jim Hynes. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Jim Hynes, Ralston Valley’s Athletic Director, described Bevington as “Wonder Woman” during his introduction of the Ralston Valley graduate who finished with 16 varsity letters during her four years as a Mustang.
Bevington will play soccer at Baylor University next fall.
Another four-sport athlete was named the Jeffco 4A Male Athlete of the Year. Dylan Jacob, who heads to Western State Colorado University to play football, left Green Mountain High School with a total of 14 varsity letters in football, basketball, boys swimming and baseball.
Green Mountain’s Dylan Jacob, middle, was named the 4A Jeffco Male Athlete of the Year. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“He is an athlete who has meant the world to me over the last few years,” Green Mountain football coach Matt Pees said. “He is a young man who exceeded expectations every step of the way during his career.”
Golden graduate Sydney Prey was named the Jeffco 4A Female Athlete of the Year. The basketball and golf standout wasn’t able to attend the ceremony, but she has a good reason. Prey was in Alamosa playing in the CHSCA All-State Games.
Prey, who will play hoops and golf at Colorado Mesa College, led the Demons to their first 4A Jeffco League girls basketball title in nearly a decade. She also became a four-time state golf qualifier, placing fifth in the 4A state tournament last month.
[divider]
Jeffco Athletics 2016-17 Awards
Athletes of the Year
Jeffco 5A Male: Brandon Micale, Pomona
Jeffco 5A Female: Sarah Bevington, Ralston Valley
Jeffco 4A Male: Dylan Jacob, Green Mountain
Jeffco 4A Female: Sydney Prey, Golden
Coaches of the Year
Jeffco 5A Coach of Male Sports: Sam Federico, Pomona
Jeffco 5A Coach of Female Sports: Stephanie Schick, Chatfield
Jeffco 4A Coach of Male Sports: Bret McGatlin, Chatfield
Jeffco 4A Coach of Female Sports: Sandi Patterson, Green Mountain
Assistant Coaches of the Year
Jeffco 5A Asst. of Male Sports: Todd Moore, Arvada West
Jeffco 5A Asst. of Female Sports: Gary Lash, Lakewood
Jeffco 4A Asst. of Female Sports: Dan Patterson, Green Mountain
Fred Steinmark Team Award
Jeffco 5A: Ralston Valley
Jeffco 4A: D’Evelyn
Paul Davis Sportsmanship Award
Jeffco 5A: Columbine & Chatfield
Jeffco 4A: D’Evelyn
