Windsor top team, Holy Family’s Hailey Schalk wins at 4A girls golf championships
WINDSOR — It is in no way ideal, but sometimes you just have to roll with the punches.
Such is the case with the fickle spring weather in Colorado.
Mother Nature threw a monkey wrench — and some snow, rain and freezing temperatures — into the girls state golf championship plans and turned what was supposed to be a two-day affair, into a single round on Monday. In Windsor at Pelican Lakes Golf Course, the host Wizards claimed their second straight Class 4A title with a Monday score of 253 (37-over par) that was 21 shots better than runner-up Niwot (274).
“We just didn’t know what was going to happen and kind of what we wanted to have happen was to be first yesterday and if we play today then we will be first today as well,” Windsor coach Kenny Anderson said. “That was our mindset going in and fortunately we were able to accommodate that yesterday.”
The foursome of Jessica Zapf (79), Kinsey Smith (85), Brynn Ellis (89) and Sarah Johnson (89) was fantastic for the Wizards all year long and it will be tough for Anderson to have to say good bye to three seniors that have brought back-to-back state title to the program.
“It’s setting in now because we are kind of in state championship mode,” said Anderson, who returns Ellis and a promising group of underclassmen next year. “The seniors won four regional titles in a row and it has been an incredible run for these girls. They are a special group and we will have fond memories and they have set the program up for the young girls behind them.”
The medalist honors went to Holy Family junior Hailey Schalk. She joins Cherry Creek’s Lynn Ann Moretto (1995-97) and Mullen’s Ashley Tait (2002, 2004-05) — now the Mustangs’ coach — as the only three-time champions since the sport was sanctioned in 1990.
She can bet she already has her sights set on making history in 2020.
“I think it would be amazing to win four and I definitely want to, and I’m definitely going to keep working hard to get there,” said Schalk, whose Day 1 score of 72 was six shots better than both Mullen freshman Sophia Choi and Vista PEAK’s Kylie Severin. “Honestley, I think I can improve everywhere as long as I keep practicing like I am and maybe even harder, then I think I can get there.”
