DENVER – Bradley Weinmaster had a lot going through his head when he snapped awake at 4 a.m.
He was in the lead. His team was in the lead. This is state.
So the sophomore did what any golfer in their right mind would do in that moment, he went and hit some balls. By 7 a.m. he had already emptied a bucket and he had yet to even make his way to City Park.
He fell out of the individual lead which was understandable considering that Windsor’s Brentyn Paiz shot a 3-under-par 67 to claim the individual title. But he still needed to play well enough to help his team do something that’s never been done in Riverdale Ridge history.
And when he hit his putt on 18, he knew he had done just that. His hat was off before the ball dropped in the cup and Riverdale Ridge claimed the Class 4A boys golf title, the first team state championship in Ravens history.
“It’s exciting,” Weinmaster said. “In the first round I had a smile on my face the whole day and the entire time after.”
The day didn’t turn into a battle against other golfers or a battle against City Park, it turned into a battle against nerves.
The Ravens held a six-stroke lead over defending champion Cheyenne Mountain and three sophomores and a freshman had to try and hold off three juniors and a senior.
“This whole season we’ve had highs and lows and the mental side of their game has come such a long way,” coach Bobby Brunswick said. “It also takes pressure (for the coaches) to be on them and coach them all the time.”
Weinmaster started the day with a bogey and ended up going 5-over on the front. He made two bridies on the back, but the four bogeys wiped that out. Still, his 77 was exactly what the team needed.
It also needed production from players across the board. Will Balliet was 2-over in Round 1 but rebounded to shoot an even-par 70 on day two. He was the top finisher for the Ravens, taking fifth overall.
“Everyone was nervous,” Balliet said. “But we were ready to go.”
Aiden Sweeney rounded out the Riverdale Ridge scorers, finishing 8-over for the tournament. It wasn’t a bad showing considering the state tournament for them last year was something they’d like to forget.
“Last year, we didn’t have the best performance at state,” Balliet said. “That led us to practicing more and getting better. We came out and got it done.”
And they couldn’t help but peek to make sure they were staying ahead of the field. Balliet said he checked every few holes in the event he needed to get aggressive. Weinmaster checked in every once in a while, as well and breathed a huge sigh of relief as he came down the final stretch of holes.
“On hole 15 I looked at the leaderboard and I knew that we won,” he said.
But it didn’t make that final putt any less historic for himself and for his school.
Team Results
| Pos |
Team |
Thru |
Overall |
Round |
R1 |
R2 |
Total |
| 1 |
Riverdale Ridge |
F |
436 |
220 |
216 |
220 |
436 |
| 2 |
Windsor |
F |
445 |
214 |
231 |
214 |
445 |
| 3 |
Cheyenne Mountain |
F |
447 |
225 |
222 |
225 |
447 |
| 3 |
Silver Creek |
F |
447 |
219 |
228 |
219 |
447 |
| 5 |
Falcon |
F |
450 |
221 |
229 |
221 |
450 |
| 6 |
Pueblo West |
F |
458 |
224 |
234 |
224 |
458 |
| 7 |
Niwot |
F |
461 |
220 |
241 |
220 |
461 |
| 8 |
Montrose |
F |
464 |
231 |
233 |
231 |
464 |
| 8 |
Steamboat Springs |
F |
464 |
232 |
232 |
232 |
464 |
| 10 |
Evergreen |
F |
468 |
233 |
235 |
233 |
468 |
| 11 |
Ponderosa |
F |
476 |
235 |
241 |
235 |
476 |
| 12 |
Mullen |
F |
478 |
240 |
238 |
240 |
478 |
| 13 |
Denver North |
F |
489 |
223 |
266 |
223 |
489 |
| 14 |
Lewis-Palmer |
F |
490 |
238 |
252 |
238 |
490 |
| 15 |
Skyline |
F |
519 |
257 |
262 |
257 |
519 |
Individual Results
| Pos |
TM |
Player |
Thru |
Overall |
Round |
R1 |
R2 |
Total |
| 1 |
Windsor |
Brentyn Paiz |
F |
138 |
67 |
71 |
67 |
138 |
| 2 |
Falcon |
Reese Knox |
F |
140 |
68 |
72 |
68 |
140 |
| 3 |
Silver Creek |
Ben Harding |
F |
141 |
71 |
70 |
71 |
141 |
| 4 |
Frederick |
Jake Chesler |
F |
142 |
68 |
74 |
68 |
142 |
| 4 |
Riverdale Ridge |
Will Balliet |
F |
142 |
70 |
72 |
70 |
142 |
| 6 |
Northridge |
Traejan Andrews |
F |
143 |
70 |
73 |
70 |
143 |
| 6 |
Niwot |
Christopher Gunlikson |
F |
143 |
69 |
74 |
69 |
143 |
| 8 |
Montrose |
Noah Richmond |
F |
145 |
68 |
77 |
68 |
145 |
| 8 |
Vista Peak |
Dawson Thulin |
F |
145 |
75 |
70 |
75 |
145 |
| 10 |
Palisade |
Alex Morrall |
F |
146 |
74 |
72 |
74 |
146 |
| 10 |
Riverdale Ridge |
Bradley Weinmaster |
F |
146 |
77 |
69 |
77 |
146 |
| 10 |
Pueblo West |
Noah Wagner |
F |
146 |
71 |
75 |
71 |
146 |
| 13 |
Denver North |
Sawyer Klein |
F |
147 |
71 |
76 |
71 |
147 |
| 13 |
Evergreen |
Tyler Long |
F |
147 |
74 |
73 |
74 |
147 |
| 15 |
Riverdale Ridge |
Aiden Sweeney |
F |
148 |
73 |
75 |
73 |
148 |
| 15 |
Cheyenne Mountain |
Thomas Herholtz |
F |
148 |
75 |
73 |
75 |
148 |
| 17 |
Falcon |
Brayden Larose |
F |
149 |
73 |
76 |
73 |
149 |
| 17 |
Cheyenne Mountain |
Campbell Grage |
F |
149 |
76 |
73 |
76 |
149 |
| 19 |
Pueblo East |
Evan Smith |
F |
150 |
76 |
74 |
76 |
150 |
| 19 |
Mullen |
Ryan Brady |
F |
150 |
75 |
75 |
75 |
150 |
| 19 |
Windsor |
Kellen Ball |
F |
150 |
71 |
79 |
71 |
150 |
| 19 |
Cheyenne Mountain |
Carter Surofchek |
F |
150 |
74 |
76 |
74 |
150 |
| 23 |
Silver Creek |
Josh Lurie |
F |
151 |
74 |
77 |
74 |
151 |
| 23 |
Lewis-Palmer |
Gregory Lewis |
F |
151 |
73 |
78 |
73 |
151 |
| 23 |
Centaurus |
Asa Wentworth |
F |
151 |
73 |
78 |
73 |
151 |
| 26 |
Niwot |
Emmett Shell |
F |
152 |
74 |
78 |
74 |
152 |
| 27 |
Pueblo West |
Preston Allen |
F |
153 |
77 |
76 |
77 |
153 |
| 28 |
Steamboat Springs |
Michael Dinapoli |
F |
154 |
79 |
75 |
79 |
154 |
| 28 |
Steamboat Springs |
Jeremy Nolting |
F |
154 |
76 |
78 |
76 |
154 |
| 30 |
The Classical Academy |
Nathan Valentine |
F |
155 |
76 |
79 |
76 |
155 |
| 30 |
Ponderosa |
Bryar Moss |
F |
155 |
78 |
77 |
78 |
155 |
| 30 |
Silver Creek |
Quinn Lockwood |
F |
155 |
74 |
81 |
74 |
155 |
| 33 |
Ponderosa |
Zane Aiken |
F |
156 |
80 |
76 |
80 |
156 |
| 33 |
Steamboat Springs |
Travis Seitz |
F |
156 |
77 |
79 |
77 |
156 |
| 33 |
The Classical Academy |
Ben Devolve |
F |
156 |
82 |
74 |
82 |
156 |
| 36 |
Pueblo East |
Adam Romero |
F |
157 |
76 |
81 |
76 |
157 |
| 36 |
Longmont |
Trace Saunders |
F |
157 |
80 |
77 |
80 |
157 |
| 36 |
Windsor |
Carter Hinkle |
F |
157 |
76 |
81 |
76 |
157 |
| 39 |
Lewis-Palmer |
William Simpfendorfer |
F |
158 |
76 |
82 |
76 |
158 |
| 40 |
Pueblo West |
Cody ingo |
F |
159 |
76 |
83 |
76 |
159 |
| 40 |
Pueblo County |
Niko Cozzetto |
F |
159 |
81 |
78 |
81 |
159 |
| 40 |
Cheyenne Mountain |
Kale Parthen |
F |
159 |
78 |
81 |
78 |
159 |
| 43 |
Montrose |
Liam Beshoar |
F |
160 |
83 |
77 |
83 |
160 |
| 43 |
Summit |
Ranger Stone |
F |
160 |
74 |
86 |
74 |
160 |
| 45 |
Montrose |
Jake Legg |
F |
161 |
82 |
79 |
82 |
161 |
| 45 |
Falcon |
Benjamin Campbell |
F |
161 |
80 |
81 |
80 |
161 |
| 45 |
Skyline |
Keaton Schell |
F |
161 |
81 |
80 |
81 |
161 |
| 48 |
Coronado |
Noah Keller |
F |
162 |
78 |
84 |
78 |
162 |
| 48 |
Eagle Valley |
Jonathan Boyer |
F |
162 |
79 |
83 |
79 |
162 |
| 48 |
Mullen |
Ethan Karr |
F |
162 |
83 |
79 |
83 |
162 |
| 48 |
Palmer Ridge |
Trevor Bradley |
F |
162 |
81 |
81 |
81 |
162 |
| 52 |
Windsor |
Landon Ball |
F |
163 |
80 |
83 |
80 |
163 |
| 52 |
Steamboat Springs |
Colin Kagan |
F |
163 |
83 |
80 |
83 |
163 |
| 54 |
Denver North |
Kaden McClelen |
F |
165 |
70 |
95 |
70 |
165 |
| 54 |
Evergreen |
Lincoln Mackay |
F |
165 |
74 |
91 |
74 |
165 |
| 54 |
Ponderosa |
Zach Caldarella |
F |
165 |
77 |
88 |
77 |
165 |
| 54 |
Riverdale Ridge |
Carter Seis |
F |
165 |
81 |
84 |
81 |
165 |
| 54 |
Denver South |
Benson Spoor |
F |
165 |
81 |
84 |
81 |
165 |
| 54 |
D'Evelyn |
Taj Kumar |
F |
165 |
85 |
80 |
85 |
165 |
| 60 |
Mullen |
Ben Hawes |
F |
166 |
82 |
84 |
82 |
166 |
| 60 |
Niwot |
Carlos Kipkorir |
F |
166 |
77 |
89 |
77 |
166 |
| 60 |
Evergreen |
Chase Thompson |
F |
166 |
86 |
80 |
86 |
166 |
| 63 |
Durango |
Zachary Griswold |
F |
167 |
85 |
82 |
85 |
167 |
| 63 |
Evergreen |
Duncan McIntosh |
F |
167 |
85 |
82 |
85 |
167 |
| 65 |
Golden |
Zach Henderson |
F |
168 |
83 |
85 |
83 |
168 |
| 65 |
Littleton |
Noah Abramson |
F |
168 |
84 |
84 |
84 |
168 |
| 67 |
Littleton |
Jack Finch |
F |
169 |
88 |
81 |
88 |
169 |
| 67 |
Air Academy |
Logan Burwell |
F |
169 |
83 |
86 |
83 |
169 |
| 69 |
Montrose |
Connor Bell |
F |
170 |
81 |
89 |
81 |
170 |
| 69 |
Summit |
Ricky Ahlquist |
F |
170 |
85 |
85 |
85 |
170 |
| 71 |
Mullen |
Jack Newton |
F |
171 |
86 |
85 |
86 |
171 |
| 72 |
Erie |
Donovan Obrien |
F |
173 |
83 |
90 |
83 |
173 |
| 72 |
Pueblo West |
Michael Whittlef |
F |
173 |
86 |
87 |
86 |
173 |
| 74 |
Falcon |
Trevor Wolken |
F |
174 |
85 |
89 |
85 |
174 |
| 75 |
Skyline |
Caden tapia |
F |
175 |
84 |
91 |
84 |
175 |
| 75 |
Niwot |
Drew Stapp |
F |
175 |
85 |
90 |
85 |
175 |
| 77 |
Denver North |
Aidan Larson |
F |
177 |
82 |
95 |
82 |
177 |
| 77 |
Palmer Ridge |
Kyle Wade |
F |
177 |
89 |
88 |
89 |
177 |
| 79 |
Green Mountain |
Riley McIntyre |
F |
180 |
87 |
93 |
87 |
180 |
| 79 |
Palisade |
Blake Hooker |
F |
180 |
96 |
84 |
96 |
180 |
| 81 |
Lewis-Palmer |
Joseph Graff IV |
F |
181 |
89 |
92 |
89 |
181 |
| 81 |
Golden |
James Sheridan |
F |
181 |
94 |
87 |
94 |
181 |
| 81 |
Pueblo Central |
Luis Contreras |
F |
181 |
91 |
90 |
91 |
181 |
| 84 |
Skyline |
Declan Karch |
F |
183 |
92 |
91 |
92 |
183 |