3A girls golf: St. Mary’s Academy defends team, individual state titles

ASPEN – It wasn’t as if Maddy Bante needed to sink a 20-foot putt to defend her title Wednesday afternoon at Aspen Golf Club.

But, the St. Mary’s Academy junior’s stellar season might as well have ended on an extra high note.

Bante earned her second consecutive state win and St. Mary’s its third in a row to close out the 3A CHSAA State Championships.

Bante shot a combined 143 across two days, including a 69 — two under par on the Aspen links — in the latter round.

Completing her final shot in style, she couldn’t help but grin knowing she had clinched another title.

“I was just thinking like, ‘go for it. There’s lots of people watching, and you know the speed, you know the lines, so you’ve gotta commit to it,’” she said. “That was me trying to beat myself.”

The solid score she achieved Wednesday wasn’t even her best, since she’s recorded a -3 previously.
Aspen’s layout was challenging but also something she could figure out, she said.

“Placement was super-key,” she said. “I had so many people supporting and watching me, so playing smart was an easy thing to do.”

St. Mary’s coach Ann Wolta Blackstone said Bante’s skill is in staying competitive no matter what.

“She just goes for it, and when she gets a little bit in the lead or gets behind a hair, she just mentally gets tough. She’s an incredible golfer,” she said.

The Wildcats scored 521 overall among their four players during the tournament, though Bante was the only player in the top 10. Still, freshman Amelia Parrott tied for 15th (186) in the field of 84 golfers, with junior Reese Brown tied for 22 with a 192 and freshman Malika Haro 77th at 252.

The Wildcats were comfortably in front, though it was a little closer than last year.

“Last year we won by 45 shots,” Ann said. “It was a hard golf course, and I wanted them to three-peat so much. They were determined, did their best and took it shot by shot. It was amazing.”

Bante played alongside Noelle Thompson, a Peak to Peak senior, and Aspen junior Lenna Persson.

Thompson was the runner-up individually with a 78 and 76 during the tourney. Persson shot a 79 and an 85, staying close to Salida’s Kyndra Johnson’s 163 total, who was in the threesome to finish right before them.

Thompson couldn’t hold back on the waterworks on the 18th green, though it had little to do with the day’s competition and more about her final high school tourney.

“I really didn’t want to cry because I didn’t want people to think it was because I lost. I’m just sad to see it come to an end because I’ve been surrounded throughout my high school golf experience by such amazing people,” Thompson said.

Thompson said she wasn’t exactly surprised that Bante held the advantage the second day.

“I never got into a groove during my round,” she said. “Being four shots back, you have to find that momentum early in order to make it count.

Peak to Peak also took second place as a group, tying with host Aspen, each with a 532.

Aspen coach Shannon Day, who was instrumental in bring the state event to the club, said she was thrilled with making it highly in the group rankings.

“It was not too shabby,” she laughed. “It wasn’t expected at all, but we’re so happy with the result. I’ve never been prouder. We’ve got a lot of sophomores and juniors on this team, so that should be great for next year.”