COLORADO SPRINGS – A fast start can mean all the difference in winning a championship and simply finishing in the top 10.
So when Pine Creek junior Wesley Erling birdied the first three holes at the Colorado Springs Country Club, he made a bold statement. He came to play and he came to win the Class 5A boys golf state tournament.
His hot start eventually cooled off but he walked into the clubhouse shooting a 1-under-par 70 take the Day 1 lead.
“I was very nervous because I came into this tournament wanting to win so bad after last year’s T-4 at one of my favorite courses in Colorado (Rolling Hills),” Erling said. “This one hasn’t always been my favorite but coming out birdie, bridie, birdie and coming out with the putter hot was especially good. I had confidence with it the entire day.”
He got it to 4-under after making bridie on the par 3 eighth, but gave the shot right back on nine, making his first bogey of the day.
He remained steady through most of the back 9 but a bad bogey on No. 15 and another bogey on 16 brought him back to 1-under.
Overcoming the greens, especially early, is the key to scoring at CSCC. Pine Creek coach Joey Fillo knew coming into the round that if his guys were going to contend for an individual or team title, they had to do it by putting well.
In the meantime, Broomfield sophomore Mason Hill was trying to over the leaderboard. He was tied with Erling at 1-under as he made his way to No. 6, his 15th hole of the day.
A stretch of three bogeys in four holes, mixed in with one more birdie got him in the house with a 72 which put him in a three-way tie for third place.
“If I can put my lag putts inside of five feet and let myself score from there, the course gets progressively easier from there,” Hill said. “I was struggling. I had to make a lot of putts outside of 10 feet for my pars. My lag putts weren’t there.”

His plan for Tuesday is to take the long putts out of the equation and hope he overcome that two-stroke deficit and climb to the top of the leaderboard.
From a team standpoint, Tuesday should be a battle. Arapahoe has the Day 1 team lead thank to Will Kates firing a 72. Fossil Ridge’s Miles Atkinson is in second place overall after shooting a 71 but the Sabercats are looking to overcome a one-stroke hole to Arapahoe and claim a team title on the same course that Dillon Stewart claimed the individual crown on.
“(We need) patience,” co-head coach Andy Stevens said. “And we need to continue giving ourselves chances in key spots. We have to take advantage of the par 5’s out here. Those are the gettable holes.”
The second round of the 5A boys golf state tournament begins at 9 a.m. at the Colorado Springs Country Club.
|
Pos |
Team |
Thru |
Overall |
Round |
R1 |
R2 |
Total |
|
1 |
Arapahoe |
F |
222 |
222 |
222 |
222 |
|
|
2 |
Fossil Ridge |
F |
223 |
223 |
223 |
223 |
|
|
3 |
Columbine |
F |
226 |
226 |
226 |
226 |
|
|
4 |
Pine Creek |
F |
229 |
229 |
229 |
229 |
|
|
5 |
Cherry Creek |
F |
231 |
231 |
231 |
231 |
|
|
6 |
Highlands Ranch |
F |
233 |
233 |
233 |
233 |
|
|
7 |
Grandview |
F |
236 |
236 |
236 |
236 |
|
|
8 |
Ralston Valley |
F |
237 |
237 |
237 |
237 |
|
|
9 |
Arvada West |
F |
239 |
239 |
239 |
239 |
|
|
10 |
Fairview |
F |
243 |
243 |
243 |
243 |
|
|
10 |
ThunderRidge |
F |
243 |
243 |
243 |
243 |
|
|
12 |
Regis Jesuit |
F |
246 |
246 |
246 |
246 |
|
|
13 |
Denver East |
F |
253 |
253 |
253 |
253 |
|
|
14 |
Fort Collins |
F |
255 |
255 |
255 |
255 |
|
|
15 |
Legacy |
F |
257 |
257 |
257 |
257 |
|
Pos |
TM |
Player |
Thru |
Overall |
Round |
R1 |
R2 |
Total |
|
1 |
Pine Creek |
Wesley Erling |
F |
70 |
70 |
70 |
70 |
|
|
2 |
Fossil Ridge |
Miles Atkinson |
F |
71 |
71 |
71 |
71 |
|
|
3 |
Cherry Creek |
Jonathan Trigg |
F |
72 |
72 |
72 |
72 |
|
|
3 |
Broomfield |
Mason Hill |
F |
72 |
72 |
72 |
72 |
|
|
3 |
Arapahoe |
Will Kates |
F |
72 |
72 |
72 |
72 |
|
|
6 |
Chatfield |
Jesse Hand |
F |
73 |
73 |
73 |
73 |
|
|
7 |
Liberty |
Hayden Woelk |
F |
74 |
74 |
74 |
74 |
|
|
7 |
Lakewood |
Jace Wright |
F |
74 |
74 |
74 |
74 |
|
|
7 |
Columbine |
Matai Naqica |
F |
74 |
74 |
74 |
74 |
|
|
7 |
Arapahoe |
Matthew Wilkinson |
F |
74 |
74 |
74 |
74 |
|
|
7 |
Highlands Ranch |
Ryan Peragallo |
F |
74 |
74 |
74 |
74 |
|
|
7 |
Pine Creek |
Rylen Caldwell |
F |
74 |
74 |
74 |
74 |
|
|
13 |
Fossil Ridge |
Austin Barry |
F |
75 |
75 |
75 |
75 |
|
|
13 |
Ralston Valley |
Gage Messingham |
F |
75 |
75 |
75 |
75 |
|
|
13 |
Grandview |
Lukas Beisner |
F |
75 |
75 |
75 |
75 |
|
|
13 |
Castle View |
Luke Cushman |
F |
75 |
75 |
75 |
75 |
|
|
13 |
Poudre |
Ryan Woodley |
F |
75 |
75 |
75 |
75 |
|
|
13 |
Douglas County |
Talen Turnbaugh |
F |
75 |
75 |
75 |
75 |
|
|
13 |
Rock Canyon |
Zach Lipfield |
F |
75 |
75 |
75 |
75 |
|
|
20 |
Liberty |
Alex Lund |
F |
76 |
76 |
76 |
76 |
|
|
20 |
Arapahoe |
Grant Juergens |
F |
76 |
76 |
76 |
76 |
|
|
20 |
Brighton |
Kyle Leydon |
F |
76 |
76 |
76 |
76 |
|
|
20 |
Columbine |
Matt Cicero |
F |
76 |
76 |
76 |
76 |
|
|
20 |
Columbine |
Qwenton Caldwell |
F |
76 |
76 |
76 |
76 |
|
|
20 |
Fairview |
Sawyer Sales |
F |
76 |
76 |
76 |
76 |
|
|
26 |
Cherry Creek |
Andre Dumonteil |
F |
77 |
77 |
77 |
77 |
|
|
26 |
Monarch |
Caleb Michaels |
F |
77 |
77 |
77 |
77 |
|
|
26 |
Fossil Ridge |
Grant Samuelson |
F |
77 |
77 |
77 |
77 |
|
|
26 |
Rocky Mountain |
Logan Vandermerwe-Smith |
F |
77 |
77 |
77 |
77 |
|
|
26 |
Arapahoe |
Max Zadvorny |
F |
77 |
77 |
77 |
77 |
|
|
31 |
Valor Christian |
Jack Armstrong |
F |
78 |
78 |
78 |
78 |
|
|
31 |
Loveland |
Keaton Koch |
F |
78 |
78 |
78 |
78 |
|
|
31 |
Broomfield |
Sawyer Hyten |
F |
78 |
78 |
78 |
78 |
|
|
34 |
Highlands Ranch |
Aiden Krusoe |
F |
79 |
79 |
79 |
79 |
|
|
34 |
Fossil Ridge |
Alex Rogers |
F |
79 |
79 |
79 |
79 |
|
|
34 |
Eaglecrest |
Andrew White |
F |
79 |
79 |
79 |
79 |
|
|
34 |
ThunderRidge |
Dylan Everett |
F |
79 |
79 |
79 |
79 |
|
|
34 |
Grandview |
Kenny VanWormer |
F |
79 |
79 |
79 |
79 |
|
|
34 |
Arvada West |
Luke Landskov |
F |
79 |
79 |
79 |
79 |
|
|
34 |
ThunderRidge |
Ryan Oro |
F |
79 |
79 |
79 |
79 |
|
|
34 |
Arvada West |
Yusuke Ogi |
F |
79 |
79 |
79 |
79 |
|
|
42 |
Legacy |
Ben Cerretani |
F |
80 |
80 |
80 |
80 |
|
|
42 |
Highlands Ranch |
Nas Kim |
F |
80 |
80 |
80 |
80 |
|
|
42 |
Monarch |
Talan Gover |
F |
80 |
80 |
80 |
80 |
|
|
45 |
Fort Collins |
Alex Burns |
F |
81 |
81 |
81 |
81 |
|
|
45 |
Denver East |
Brad Fortino |
F |
81 |
81 |
81 |
81 |
|
|
45 |
Mountain Vista |
Brayden Scheich |
F |
81 |
81 |
81 |
81 |
|
|
45 |
Highlands Ranch |
Ethan Leach |
F |
81 |
81 |
81 |
81 |
|
|
45 |
Regis Jesuit |
Jake Irvine |
F |
81 |
81 |
81 |
81 |
|
|
45 |
Ralston Valley |
Jordan McCaslin |
F |
81 |
81 |
81 |
81 |
|
|
45 |
Mountain Vista |
Luke Kusserow |
F |
81 |
81 |
81 |
81 |
|
|
45 |
Ralston Valley |
Makian Maydew |
F |
81 |
81 |
81 |
81 |
|
|
45 |
Arvada West |
Robby Capritta |
F |
81 |
81 |
81 |
81 |
|
|
54 |
Grandview |
Charles O’Donnell |
F |
82 |
82 |
82 |
82 |
|
|
54 |
Cherry Creek |
Charlie Flaxbeard |
F |
82 |
82 |
82 |
82 |
|
|
54 |
Grand Junction |
Jack Kaul |
F |
82 |
82 |
82 |
82 |
|
|
54 |
Fruita Monument |
Kade Hayward |
F |
82 |
82 |
82 |
82 |
|
|
54 |
Cherry Creek |
Pratham Parmar |
F |
82 |
82 |
82 |
82 |
|
|
54 |
Legend |
Spencer Schlagel |
F |
82 |
82 |
82 |
82 |
|
|
54 |
Fort Collins |
Tanner Stewart |
F |
82 |
82 |
82 |
82 |
|
|
54 |
Legacy |
Tommy Hammond |
F |
82 |
82 |
82 |
82 |
|
|
54 |
Regis Jesuit |
Will Bikulcius |
F |
82 |
82 |
82 |
82 |
|
|
63 |
Rock Canyon |
Charlie Tucker |
F |
83 |
83 |
83 |
83 |
|
|
63 |
Regis Jesuit |
Cole Dewey |
F |
83 |
83 |
83 |
83 |
|
|
63 |
Douglas County |
Hunter Glasser |
F |
83 |
83 |
83 |
83 |
|
|
63 |
Fairview |
Mathieu Zerwin |
F |
83 |
83 |
83 |
83 |
|
|
67 |
Cherokee Trail |
Andrew Jang |
F |
84 |
84 |
84 |
84 |
|
|
67 |
Cherokee Trail |
Christopher O’Donnell |
F |
84 |
84 |
84 |
84 |
|
|
67 |
Fairview |
Nathan Sager |
F |
84 |
84 |
84 |
84 |
|
|
70 |
Grandview |
Alex Chitkoksoong |
F |
85 |
85 |
85 |
85 |
|
|
70 |
Fairview |
Chandler Levy |
F |
85 |
85 |
85 |
85 |
|
|
70 |
ThunderRidge |
Jack Barton |
F |
85 |
85 |
85 |
85 |
|
|
70 |
Pine Creek |
Preston Ahner |
F |
85 |
85 |
85 |
85 |
|
|
70 |
Regis Jesuit |
Roland Thornton |
F |
85 |
85 |
85 |
85 |
|
|
75 |
Denver East |
Kyle Shaw |
F |
86 |
86 |
86 |
86 |
|
|
75 |
Denver East |
Oliver Gottesfeld |
F |
86 |
86 |
86 |
86 |
|
|
77 |
Prairie View |
Keagan Bond |
F |
88 |
88 |
88 |
88 |
|
|
77 |
Legend |
Ryan Parker |
F |
88 |
88 |
88 |
88 |
|
|
79 |
Prairie View |
Payton Crawford |
F |
89 |
89 |
89 |
89 |
|
|
80 |
Rocky Mountain |
Thomas Kline |
F |
90 |
90 |
90 |
90 |
|
|
81 |
Pine Creek |
Luke Wright |
F |
91 |
91 |
91 |
91 |
|
|
82 |
Fort Collins |
Ian Hunn |
F |
92 |
92 |
92 |
92 |
|
|
83 |
Vista Ridge |
Bryce Raduziner |
F |
95 |
95 |
95 |
95 |
|
|
83 |
Legacy |
John Mcnabb |
F |
95 |
95 |
95 |
95 |