3A girls golf: St. Mary’s Academy goes back-to-back, Bante wins individual crown

BROOMFIELD – A year ago, St. Mary’s Academy’s Maddy Bante was in the same exact position, holding a lead heading into day two of the 3A girls golf tournament.
 
Last season, she finished runner-up. This season, she finished the job, winning the 2022 3A girls golf individual title Wednesday afternoon at The Broadlands Golf Course.
 
“I feel really accomplished, I’ve been working really hard to get to this point,” Bante stated. “After I saw Aubri (Braecklein) do this last year, I’ve been dreaming of this moment. I told myself, I’m going to do this next year, and I was able to which I am very proud of.”
 
With a two-day total of even par 144, including a field-best one-under 71 score today, she finished atop the leaderboard, four strokes ahead of runner-up Noelle Thompson of Peak to Peak.
 
She becomes the first St. Mary’s Academy girls golfer to win the individual title in program history.
 
“Maddy is so even,” SMA head coach Ann Wolta Blackstone said. “She just keeps a tough mental game and she didn’t let the close score get to her, she really rallied.”
 
Not only was this a tournament of redemption for the sophomore, it was also a season spent battling through adversity, as she played through a lingering back injury. She also had to fend off Thompson, who came back from a significant deficit to tie Bante going into the 16th hole.

On the 16th, Bante birdied, and Thompson carded a bogey, opening a two-shot lead with two to play. After both parred 17, Bante hit the shot of the tournament on 18, sticking her approach about an inch from the hole. She tapped in for the championship-winning birdie.
 

“I didn’t know my approach shot would land that close,” Bante exclaimed. “It was getting a little nerve-wracking, getting very close (on the back nine). On 16 I said, this is another round of golf, I know what to do I’ve trained for this and I was able to come back. Making that birdie putt on 16 really helped me turn the corner.”
 
Not to be outdone, Bante’s Wildcat teammates combined for a two-day total of 480 to win the 2022 3A team championship, marking back-to-back titles for the program.
 
“Back-to-back titles is so amazing,” Wolta Blackstone said. “I’m so blessed to have these girls on my team. I’m really excited for Maddy because she rallied from last year. It was so great to watch that ending, and I’m just so proud.”
 
The trio of Bante, Mallory Hopper, and Natalie Tatar combined for the championship last season, and returned to blow away the field this year.
 
“My team is absolutely amazing,” Bante continued. “I’m so happy we were able to get this win before our seniors Mallory and Natalie left. I’m just happy we were able to work together again and make it happen!”
 
On the individual leaderboard, the top-5 was rounded out by Thompson, Liberty Common’s Sydney Torres, Prospect Ridge’s Hope Torres, and Kent Denver’s Nicole Davari.
 
In the team standings, the next four teams behind the Wildcats were Prospect Ridge (523), Kent Denver (540), Peak to Peak (547), and Colorado Academy (552).