(Brad Cochi/CHSAANow)

Katelyn Lehigh accomplished several personal goals in spectacular fashion while winning the Class 5A girls golf individual state championship on Tuesday.

The junior golfer opened the final day at City Park Golf Course in a tie for the lead with teammate Taylor Bandemer and turned in a 4-under 66 that tied the 18-hole course record during her closing round and clinched her first state title. It was a championship effort over two years in the making. Lehigh’s two-day score of 138 added a third individual title to her family name – her older sister Lauren Lehigh won state titles in 2019 and 2018 (4A).

While she accomplished each of those things, Katelyn Lehigh’s focus remained elsewhere.

From the start, Lehigh was invested in helping Loveland win its first team title since moving up to 5A and second overall in the program’s history, which the Loveland girls accomplished collectively on Tuesday with a team score of 450.

“The team title always comes first and we did it together,” Lehigh said. “It has always been the goal to win it as a team and win it individually. But playing for the team title is the most important thing and it took all of us. If Reece (Bandemer) and Taylor (Bandemer) and Maryn (Harlow) didn’t play well, it wouldn’t have really mattered what I did.”

Taylor Bandemer tied for eighth with a 154. Reece Bandemer shot a 77 on Day 2 and finished in 14th place. Harlow tied for 50th with a score of 181.

After overcoming her fear of a blow-up opening round on Monday to position herself as the frontrunner for Day 2, Lehigh said her nerves disappeared when it came time to seal the deal on Tuesday. She split six birdies equally between the front and back nines for a 66.

“I was super nervous about everything yesterday,” Lehigh said. “Today, being paired with Olivia (Steen), it felt like pretty much every other high school tournament because we pretty much played together pretty much every single high school tournament. So, I was surprisingly calm today.”

Chasing Lehigh for most of the tournament, Prairie View junior Lily Nelson finished runner-up. She shot a 1-under 69 on the second day. It was the first tournament round under par of her prep career, and it came at a good time.

“It went really well,” Nelson said. “My putting was really good today and I was able to get some up-and-downs. My driver was also pretty good. I’m more confident because I’ve gotten better over the season and I’m looking forward to doing it again next season.”

Fossil Ridge’s Olivia Steen placed third, going 2-over on Tuesday for an overall 146. Eaglecrest’s Emma Bryant, who won the 5A individual title as a freshman in 2018, carded a 147. Valor Christian’s Grace young placed fifth at 149.

Rock Canyon was second in the team scoring. The Jaguars were 25 strokes behind Loveland and Cherry Creek was third with a score of 492.

(PaulDiSalvoPhotography.com)

Katie Back-Howell’s monster senior season provided an historic honor for Rock Canyon High School. She was named Colorado’s softball player of the year by Gatorade on Friday, the first time a Jaguars softball player has received the honor.

Dack-Howell had a impressive senior campaign as she batted .583 with 14 home runs in just 18 games during the 2020 season.

She finished her career with 42 home runs as she launched 11 of them as a junior, seven as a sophomore and 10 as a freshman. In her junior and senior seasons she helped the Jaguars earned the No. 1 seed in the Class 5A softball state tournament.

“Katie is as close to impossible to get out as any hitter I’ve ever faced,” Chaparral coach Alan DiGiosio said. “Behind the dish, she’s the best our state has seen in a while.”

On top of her outstanding play on the softball field, she was active in her community in a variety of ways. She wrote letters of support for COVID-19 first responders during the pandemic and has volunteered with youth softball programs and initiatives to raise awareness for cancer.

A three-time first team all-state selection, Dack-Howell will continue her softball career this fall at Texas A&M. She maintained a 3.63 GPA in her time at Rock Canyon.

It’s onto the second round of the Class 5A girls soccer tournament for Rock Canyon after the Jaguars beat Fruita Monument 7-0.

In the final coaches poll of Season D, Colorado Academy and Evergreen finished at No. 1.

The rankings, voted upon by coaches, are the official polls of the Association. This data will be used as one criteria for postseason qualification and seeding.

Complete rankings for all classes are below.

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CHSAANow.com Girls Lacrosse Poll

Voted upon by coaches around the state. Coaches looking to vote should email bcochi@chsaa.org.

The Season D state tournament bracket for Class 5A girls lacrosse is below.

• Girls lacrosse brackets: 5A | 4A

2021 CHSAA Girls Lacrosse State Championships (Colorado) Class 5A

In the finals girls soccer coaches poll of Season D, Broomfield, Evergreen, Kent Denver and Dawson finished at No. 1.

The rankings, voted upon by coaches, are the official polls of the Association. Theses rankings will be used as one criteria for postseason qualification and seeding.

Complete rankings for all classes are below.

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CHSAANow.com Girls Soccer Poll

Voted upon by coaches around the state. Coaches looking to vote should email bcochi@chsaa.org.

In the final coaches poll of Season D, Cherry Creek and Cheyenne Mountain finished the season at No. 1.

The rankings, voted upon by coaches, are the official polls of the Association. This formula will be used as one of the criteria for postseason qualification and seeding.

Complete rankings for all classes are below.

[divider]

CHSAANow.com Boys Lacrosse Polls

Coaches looking to vote should email bcochi@chsaa.org.

Photos from the Liberty Bell track and field meet.

In the latest coaches poll voting, Mountain Vista retook the top spot in Class 5A.

The rankings, voted upon by coaches, are the official polls of the Association.

Complete rankings for all classes are below.

[divider]

CHSAANow.com Boys Lacrosse Polls

Coaches looking to vote should email bcochi@chsaa.org.

In the latest coaches coaches poll, Evergreen and Grand Junction moved up in Class 4A.

The rankings, voted upon by coaches, are the official polls of the Association.

Complete rankings for all classes are below.

[divider]

CHSAANow.com Girls Lacrosse Poll

Voted upon by coaches around the state. Coaches looking to vote should email bcochi@chsaa.org.