Boys golf state roundup: Regis Jesuit wins fourth-consecutive 5A crown
AURORA — The wind couldn’t stop Regis Jesuit from running away with this thing.
Despite gusts up to 20 mph, the Raiders captured their fourth-consecutive Class 5A championship in boys golf on Tuesday afternoon. Regis Jesuit finished at 7-under after the two-day tournament — second-place Ralston Valley was 16-over for an astounding 23-stroke gap.
“Most of that (gap came) during the first nine” on Tuesday, Regis coach Craig Rogers said afterward. “They really came really ready to play. They were in a good space mentally, physically and emotionally. They’ve been working hard. They were ready to go.”
Raiders’ senior Spencer Painton paced his teammates, and the field, in capturing the individual title. He finished 6-under.
“Those conditions were very difficult,” Painton said, “and I was very happy to be able to contribute a large part to the team.”
Painton, a University of Kansas recruit, entered the day with a one-shot lead over Legacy’s Li Chen, but lost it after a bogey on the first hole. The two were tied for much of the front nine until Painton birded the seventh. He picked up two more strokes when he birded No. 8 and Chen bogeyed it. Even so, Painton didn’t let a sense of relief creep in.
“We still had ten holes left to play, we had the back nine,” he said. “Especially with conditions like this, you just have to keep the head down and keep going because you never know what can happen.”
As it turned out, though, the lead was Painton’s for good after that. He had a two-stroke lead as he walked up to the 18th green, but his mind didn’t wander.
“To be quite honest, I had a not-so-easy putt left, I was still trying to finish,” said Painton, who finished second last season. “I just had to make sure that it was not over until the score cards were signed and officially turned in before I could start celebrating.”
Chen finished in a tie for second with Regis Jesuit’s Jake Kelley. In all, the Raiders had three medalists, including Chris Korte, who finished in a tie for seventh.
Cherry Creek was third in the team competition at 18-over, Legacy (23-over) was fourth, while Heritage and Fairview tied for fifth at 24-over. (Find complete results here.)
Valor Christian wins 4A title
EVERGREEN — Valor Christian was finally able to capture that elusive boys golf championship. The Eagles, who finished runner-up a year ago following a playoff, were 33-over as a team to beat out second-place Silver Creek (36-over).
Valor was led by Jake Staiano’s 8-over performance.
Individually, Coronado’s Isaac Petersilie stood on top of a tight leaderboard at the end of the tournament at 4-over. He beat out Cheyenne Mountain’s Wilson Belk (5-over), as well as Pueblo West’s Glenn Workman (7-over) and Staiano. (Complete results.)
“It was really my putting. Every save I needed to make pretty much went in,” Petersilie said afterward. “That felt great. It, early-on, was a confidence booster.
“I was a little nervous coming in, but I’m really excited and really happy.”
Alexander Dawson races to 3A championship
PUEBLO — Alexander Dawson had three finishers place in the top-7 as the Mustangs ran away with the 3A title.
Leading the way was Cole Folwell, who finished third at 4-over, and Cameron Connor (fourth, 5-over).
Basalt’s Tristan Rohrbaugh won the individual championship after shooting 1-under for the tournament.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Rohrbaugh said afterward. “I can’t stop smiling.”
“I really didn’t know until the 13th who was leading or where anyone stood,” he added. “I really didn’t want to know, but when I overhead some people talking and I asked my coach (Al Rakowski). He told me I was three up. I felt a little better, less pressure.”
Peak to Peak’s Behrod Keshtavar finished second at 3-over. (Complete results.)
Additional reporting by CHSAANow.com’s Jenn Roberts-Uhlig and Bethany Brookens in Evergreen, and Bert Borgmann in Pueblo.
