A roundup of Jeffco prep highlights, interviews and schedules with Dennis Pleuss, Jeffco Public Schools’ Communication Specialist. This month’s edition features state title action with the all-Jeffco Class 4A girls soccer championship match between D’Evelyn and Evergreen, along with Evergreen baseball’s improbable run to the 4A title game. Also, Ralston Valley’s girls golf team made history winning the 5A state team title. Dakota Ridge’s girls lacrosse team also made history advancing to the state quarterfinals. And finally, highlights of the state track and field meet.
Category: Girls Golf
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All-state girls golf teams for the 2017 season
The 2017 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
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Golfer of the year: Amy Chitkoksoong, GrandviewCoach of the year: Wendy Davies, Ralston Valley
First Team Name School Year Julia Baroth Denver East Senior Payton Canon Cherry Creek Senior Amy Chitkoksoong Grandview Senior Jenna Chun Highlands Ranch Junior Leigha Devine Fossil Ridge Sophomore Sydney Eye Ralston Valley Sophomore Carly Gallant Monarch Senior Arielle Keating Rampart Junior Amelia Lee Rock Canyon Senior Lexi Mueldener Ralston Valley Sophomore Jordan Remley Ralston Valley Senior Kelsey Webster Fairview Junior [divider]
Class 4A
(Cannon Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Golfer of the year: Lauren Lehigh, LovelandCoach of the year: Bill Stephens, Loveland
First Team Name School Year Aili Bundy Loveland Senior Elly Carlson Pine Creek Senior Maxine Choi Cheyenne Mountain Junior Kyree Conaway Vista Peak Junior Hannah Doran Loveland Senior Lauren Lehigh Loveland Sophomore Lauren Murphy Glenwood Springs Junior Sydney Prey Golden Senior Ashlee Sample Palmer Ridge Senior Kellsey Sample Palmer Ridge Senior Alyson Shuman Palisade Senior Jessica Zapf Windsor Sophomore [divider]
Class 3A
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
Golfer of the year: Hailey Schalk, Holy FamilyCoach of the year: Beth Folsom, Colorado Academy
First Team Name School Year Trinity Goderstad Colorado Academy Senior Marin Halvorsen Kent Denver Senior Charlotte Hillary Kent Denver Freshman Caroline Jordaan Colorado Academy Sophomore Marie Jordaan Colorado Academy Freshman Cassie Kneen Colorado Academy Senior Hailey Schalk Holy Family Freshman Masi Smith Rifle Sophomore Meghan Vogt Holy Family Freshman Elly Walters Rifle Junior -
5A girls golf: Grandview’s Chitkoksoong wins individual title; Ralston Valley claims first team crown
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com) GOLDEN — Grandview’s Amy Chitkoksoong made she shot she needed at the right time, and now she’s the Class 5A girls golf individual champion.
Chitkoksoong, a senior who finished second last season, hit a near-perfect chip shot on the third playoff hole, then knocked down a bogey putt to seal her title. Highlands Ranch junior Jenna Chun finished second following a great round.
“My coaches told me there’s only one way to go, and that’s up,” Chitkoksoong said. “Taking second last year, I was coming into the tournament with the mindset of aiming for first place.”
Chitkoksoong’s shot came on the par-4 12th hole, which she was playing for the third time in two days. She faced a similar chip in the first round on Monday, but “I rammed it past,” she said.
“In my head, I was just telling myself to make sure I get it close, make sure to not let it go off that hill,” Chitkoksoong said. “And so I was really calm chipping that, because I could see the ball roll in my head.”
Chitkoksoong placed the chip, her third shot of the hole, within six feet. Chun’s third shot, a putt, went long, and then her par attempt broke right just before the hole. Chitkoksoong also missed her par attempt, but then Chun missed her bogey putt.
By then, Chitkoksoong had a short putt to win the title. She sank it, and ran into the arms of her teammates to celebrate.
It was the end to a nerve-wracking few holes for Chitkoksoong.
“While I was playing the round, I started getting really nervous around 16,” she said. “Then I heard there was a playoff, and each hole just got worse and worse. (Chun is) such a great player, and I fought until the end.”
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com) Ralston Valley won the team title with a total of 42-over. Rock Canyon (+51) was the runner-up. Grandview (+67), Arvada West (+69), and Fossil Ridge (+69) all earned top-5 finishes.
The Mustangs’ Jordan Remley (+12), Lexi Mueldener (+14) and Sydney Eye (+16) had scoring rounds as the program won its first championship. Riley McKibbon (+27) also had a great round.
“This team is really a team. And they are just such good girls,” said Ralston Valley coach Wendy Davies. “They worked hard for each other. Every time I would walk up, they would ask, ‘How is everyone else doing?’ Coming in at the end, they said, ‘How many strokes do we need? Do I need to birdie?’”
Ralston Valley trailed by five strokes entering the day.
“It was phenomenal,” Davies said. “Every single one of them played really well today.”
The individual competition, meanwhile, had some extended drama.
Chitkoksoong entered the day three shots back of the Day 1 leader, Rock Canyon’s Amelia Lee. She made a slow and steady climb toward the top, eventually taking the tournament lead midway through the afternoon when Lee bogeyed her 10th hole.
Lee and Chitkoksoong traded the lead for the rest of the day, but it was Chun who entered the clubhouse with the score to beat at 10-over. Chitkoksoong followed that shortly with a 10-over score of her own. Lee had a chance to match them, but missed a tough putt on the 18th green.
After a short break, Chitkoksoong and Chun stepped back onto the 10th tee to begin the playoff. They both bogeyed the 10th, and then made par on the 11th.
That set the stage for the dramatic finish to the 12th hole, and Chitkoksoong’s chip for a championship.
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com) -
Photos: Colorado Academy takes team lead at 3A girls state golf tournament
BROOMFIELD — Colorado Academy grabbed the team lead and Holy Family’s Hailey Schalk sits atop the leaderboard at the first Class 3A state girls golf tournament.
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Photos: Rock Canyon grabs team lead on first day of 5A girls golf
GOLDEN — Rock Canyon jumped into the team lead on the first day of the Class 5A girls golf state championships, and the Jaguars’ Amelia Lee sits atop the individual leaderboard.
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4A girls golf: Lehigh holds on for individual title, Loveland wins first championship
(Cannon Casey/CHSAANow.com) ERIE — Loveland’s Lauren Lehigh definitely made it interesting, but she got it done.
“I still knew where I stood. For me, I play really well from behind and I know that,” Lehigh said. “I don’t always play the greatest with a lead, but I managed to keep it today. I knew that it wasn’t going to be an issue, that I trusted my game enough to know I could perform the last couple holes. I had to trust myself.”
Lehigh got back to playing consistent golf in the second round to hold on and win the individual and team title in the Class 4A girls golf state championships over teammate Aili Bundy.
“That was our whole goal this year,” Lehigh said. “To get that for our seniors, for the school, that experience for everybody on the team. It’s amazing.”
Bundy was a late mover on the leaderboard as she made a push after starting the day +5 in the first three holes. In the next 15 holes, Bundy shot two-under-par to finish tied for second with Glenwood Springs’ Lauren Murphy.
“It was so nice to be able to go out there and shoot a solid round the second day,” Bundy said. “I kind of did the same thing today as I did yesterday. I was five over after three holes, and I thought, ‘Something’s gotta change.’ I was really proud about how I came back from that and stayed calm.”
(Cannon Casey/CHSAANow.com) Loveland effectively had the 4A team title locked up before day two began, and their lead only widened with Bundy and Lehigh’s stellar play.
The Indians finished the first round with a score of +17 — 18 strokes better than the next closest team.
After the second round, the Indians had a team score of +43, paced by Lehigh (+8), Bundy (+9) and Hannah Doran (+26).
“I’m so happy for our team and for our coach. He’s put everything into this season and into us,” Bundy said. “He’s really encouraged us throughout the year. We tried not to get ahead of ourselves during the season, we never really talked about state. It was definitely a storybook ending, I couldn’t have asked for anything better.
“This is the cherry on top. I’m just on cloud nine right now.”
Windsor (+70) came in second, while Glenwood Springs and Golden tied for third with +85.
That Loveland trio all finished in the top-10 of individual scoring.
Lehigh battled the wind and cold weather to make the turn at three over par. Then, things got interesting.
“On the front nine, I hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens, and got up and down when I needed to,” Lehigh said. “The back nine was a little harder for me to hit fairways. I don’t know why, just wasn’t as accurate with it. Missing greens by a little bit isn’t bad, but missing greens that I have to chip, that’s when it gets a little nerveracking.”
Lehigh posted a seven on the par-four 13th. Then, she bogied the next hole and her lead was dwindling.
After two straight pars, Lehigh bogied 17 and clung to a one-stroke lead going into the final hole.
“I’m very trusting in my game,” Lehigh said. “I know that whatever happens happens, and I know I can get it back. I trust my game, I’m confident in myself. I think that’s a pretty good word to describe my game.”
Bundy finished on 18 in the group ahead of Lehigh and could only watch as her teammate played her final hole.
“I told my coach, I’m proud of how I’ve played so far. I’m never going to root against a teammate,” Bundy said. “I knew she was one stroke ahead of me and I just told him I was going to hit a good approach shot and then knock it close and if something happened in the group behind me in that was out of my control, that’s what was meant to be. Lauren really deserved it.”
A par was all the sophomore would need as she went on to claim the individual title.
“It doesn’t bother me as much because I’ve had so much experience in those positions,” Lehigh said. “I’ve played from behind, I’ve played with a lead, it’s at the point right now with me that I just need to play my game.”
Golden’s Sydney Prey and Glenwood Springs’ Lauren Murphy both double-bogied the first hole, allowing Lehigh to build on her two-stroke lead right from the start. Lehigh was up four strokes after Hole 1.
Prey shot a triple bogie on the second hole and ended with a +14.
Murphy rallied back to come within one of Lehigh, but couldn’t get a birdie on 18.
(Cannon Casey/CHSAANow.com) -
3A girls golf: Holy Family’s Hailey Schalk, Colorado Academy take top honors
Holy Family’s Hailey Schalk won the 3A individual title. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com) BROOMFIELD — Monday was full of excitement at the first Class 3A girls state golf tournament. Holy Family freshman Hailey Schalk jumped out to a commanding lead with a 6-under-par 65 and Colorado Academy had all four players shoot in the 70s to take a lead in the team race.
The downfall was that all the excitement Monday sucked out any drama out Tuesday’s final round.
Schalk battled through the wind to shoot a 74, claiming the individual championship by seven strokes. Her teammates at Holy Family helped the Tigers finish with a total of 475 as a team.
Colorado Academy bested that score by 28 strokes.
The winners won big. And in Schalk’s case, the expectation will be to win three more times.
“I think this is a challenge that I want to take,” she said. “I always want to play well and compete against great players and I think that’s what happened this week.”
All eyes were on Schalk as the day started. Spectators were curious to see how she was going to follow up her 65 from Monday.
She started well enough with pars on the first two holes before scoring her first birdie on No. 3. She birdied No. 5 to follow, putting her at 8-under for the tournament.
But soon, troubles with her putter led to frequent bogeys and with the possibility of team hardware also on the line, she she backed off the aggressive play that gave her such a commanding lead.
“The plan was to play conservative with the wind today,” Schalk said. “It was just about playing the best that I could in the conditions.”
But even with bogeys on 10, 12, 15 and 16, she had championship gold well in hand. She sank a par on 18, ending her tournament seven strokes better than Kent Denver’s Charlotte Hillary.
The same type of margin separated the Tigers from Colorado Academy. The Mustangs entered the day with a lead that was going to be difficult to surrender, but coach Beth Folsom didn’t want them thinking that the championship was all tied up.
“I don’t think our strategy changes whether we have a good day or a bad day,” Folsom said. “We really just try to play one shot at a time and try to get them to focus on the present.”
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com) It is the second-straight team title for the Mustangs, who claimed last years 4A championship at the Pueblo Country Club. Caroline Jordaan and Cassie Kneen ended the tournament with matching scores of 147, and Caroline’s younger sister Marie finished with a 153.
After experiencing a championship win a year ago, the elder Jordaan was thrilled to be able to share this year’s win with her sister.
The Mustangs will lose Kneen and Trinity Goderstad (160) to graduation, so from here on out it will be the Jordaan sisters who must set the tone for the team.
“(Marie) now understands what it’s like to get the team title,” Caroline said. “And it’s awesome just to have her on the team. We’re competitive and we push each other to be better.”
It was a monumental second-place finish for the Tigers as well. A year ago, there was no golf team at the school. Now there is a first-place individual title and second-place team trophy that need to be put on display.
The future is bright for the Tigers.
“It’s a terrific school that our girls love being a part of,” coach Matt Schalk said. “The school has really supported them so I think they have that feeling of winning for your school and winning for your peers.”
Colorado Academy’s Cassie Kneen. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com) -
Final results: 2017 girls golf state championships
The 2017 girls golf championships in classes 5A, 4A and 3A are Monday and Tuesday.
Final results from each tournament are below. You may also download the CHSAA Golf App on your mobile device:
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4A girls golf: Lehigh, Loveland day one leaders
(Cannon Casey/CHSAANow.com) ERIE — Loveland’s Lauren Lehigh audibly willed the ball into the first two holes, then practiced her fist pump to celebrate putts from way downtown.
“That was a big start. They weren’t short putts, either,” Lehigh said. “I think the first one was 25 feet and the second one was over 40 feet. They were good strokes and the hole was looking really big for me.”
Lehigh started the day hot and rode the momentum to the top of the leaderboard after the first day of the Class 4A girls golf state championships.
And her teammates aren’t too far behind.
Aili Bundy (+6) and Hannah Doran (+10) ended the day in 5th and tied for 8th.
Bundy had back-to-back birdies on Holes 17 and 18 to charge up the leaderboard and into fifth place.
“I know that’s going to help our team total a lot,” Lehigh said. “That’s our big goal for the seniors this year is to make sure that we get that team title under wraps and we can all go home state champions.”
Loveland is well ahead in the team race with a +17. The next closest team, Windsor, ended the day +35. Golden and Vista Peak are tied for third with a +39.
Windsor’s Jessica Zapf (+5) paced the Wizards playing alongside Lehigh.
Zapf fell off with four bogies and one double-bogie on the back side.
Defending champion Colorado Academy’s move to 3A left a void and Loveland is looking to fill it.
Loveland finished tied for 8th in 5A last year.
Lehigh ran into trouble on both sides, but was able to respond with birdies to get her back into it. She bogied Hole 14 to fall to +1, then came right back to even on Hole 15.
(Cannon Casey/CHSAANow.com) “I know I could have been a lot better,” Lehigh said. “I left a couple puts out. I had a couple three-putts, but overall I felt pretty good about the round.”
Lehigh’s mentality for the day was simple: don’t force it.
“Fairways and greens. I figured even par was going to be close to the top of the leaderboard,” Lehigh said. “If somebody beats that, then they played a great round and I have to respect that. Just making sure that I got onto those greens and made good putts and just stayed focused.”
For the majority of the day, Golden’s Sydney Prey was sticking right with Lehigh, but then double-bogied Holes 2 and 6. Prey ended three-over-par, tied with Glenwood Springs’ Lauren Murphy.
Murphy missed a par put on the 18th hole that dropped her into a tie with Prey.
“Such a bummer,” Murphy said. “I was pretty happy with my putting today except for that one.”
Murphy and Prey are within reach of Lehigh for tomorrow’s play.
“I feel like that was a pretty solid round, but I’m hoping to play better tomorrow,” Murphy said. “I think I was able to recover well out of trouble. I also think I was able to close the deal with chipping and putting. I’m going to try and improve my driving accuracy. It was kind of all over the map.”
(Cannon Casey/CHSAANow.com) Lehigh will try to keep pace in the second round at Colorado National tomorrow.
“Same thing, just fairways and greens,” Lehigh said. “Make those pars. Take the birdies as they come, but definitely go after the pars.”
Lehigh finished tied for 9th in 5A last year.
Prey finished tied for 7th in 4A, while Palmer Ridge’s Kellsey Sample Palmer Ridge ended tied for 10th.
Sample played alongside Lehigh in her pairing, and ended up +7, good for seventh on the leaderboard.
The trio of Lehigh, Prey and Sample made all-state in 2016.
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3A girls golf: Holy Family’s Hailey Schalk finishes with historical round
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com) BROOMFIELD — In a day of firsts, Holy Family’s Hailey Schalk went for a best. Monday marked the first round of the first-ever Class 3A girls state golf tournament.
And the Holy Family freshman went of a career-best 6-under-par 65.
Not too shabby for a first round at at a state tournament.
“On one, I hit a good tee shot and then I hit my wedge to probably three feet,” Schalk said. “I think that just gave me momentum to keep playing the way I know how to play.”
In a word, she plays well.
Schalk birdied six of her first seven holes. She made par on eight and found her first bit of trouble on the ninth hole.
“I just hit a bad tee shot, so I was in the rough,” she said. “I had a bad lie and I chunked it out. I got up and down (for bogey).”
She started the back nine with yet another birdie, but her momentum leveled off as she made her way in. Her eighth and final birdie of the day came on on No. 13, then she ended with four pars and one bogey that she was visibly frustrated by.
“I just three-putted,” she said.
Beyond nine and 18, she showed poise and talent well beyond that of a freshman in her first round at state. She is long with her driver, accurate with her irons and when her putter is hot, she’s proven she can be tough to beat.
“She made a change yesterday with her putter,” Tigers coach Matt Schalk said. “I think we found it could go either way and it obviously went the right way.”
The Tigers finished the day second in the team hunt at 238. Colorado Academy, last year’s 4A champion, is well in control of the team lead with a score of 215. Cassie Kneen finished at even par while Caroline Jordaan and Marie Jordaan each finished with a 72.
The individual lead might be difficult to overcome for any one of the Mustangs, but they felt they did what they needed to to set themselves up for a second-straight state title.
“We all played pretty well today,” Caroline Jordaan said. “I think we made a good impression on the rest of the field. Especially with a bunch of new teams with it being 3A, we did such a good job today.”
Kent Denver sits in third place after the first day at 240. The battle between the Sun Devils and the Tigers will be a fun race to watch during Tuesday’s second-round.
But all eyes will likely be on Schalk. Going back to 2010, Schalk’s 65 is the best individual score for any player in any class.
She won’t be thinking about that when she’s tees off, though.
“I just need to keep a good attitude and keep hitting the ball well and keep my putter going,” she said. “Just do the same stuff tomorrow.”
The final round of the 3A golf tournament at Broadlands will begin at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.