AURORA — Just like he did last year, Castle View’s Gavin Amella found himself at the top of the Class 5A leaderboard heading into the championship’s final day.
This was the finish he’d envisioned.
After playing through a sickness on the second day of the tournament a year ago, Amella didn’t let anything stand in his way en route to the 5A crown at CommonGround Golf Course on Tuesday afternoon.
Leading by two strokes over Grandview’s Michael Rosman headed into No. 18, his 350-yard drive skipped waywardly into a bunker. Bad luck — a bit like in 2023 when he said he played ill on Day 2, with what was later diagnosed as bronchitis.
This time it didn’t spoil things.
Amella punched out of the sand and eventually saved par on the hole to edge Rosman by a shot, finishing with a two-day score of 9-under-par 133. The junior put down a ball marker before tapping in.
“I kind of just wanted to take everything in and just look around,” he said. “I didn’t want to lose the moment. Just wanted to stay in it the entire time.”
After clinching from about a foot or two away, his initial celebration was a bit muted. A quick fist pump — and that’s it.
It wasn’t until after Amella put in his score at the official’s table that his teammates jumped around him and doused him in water.
With the win, Amella became the second member of his family to win a golf state title. In 2014, his cousin Taylor Rodriguez won the 4A title while playing for Pueblo South.
“Back when I was like 5, I watched my cousin win state,” he said. “All I could think about before (today) was how cool it would be to win state as well and become the second state champ in my family.”
His wait was nothing compared to Cherry Creek’s.
The Bruins held on to beat Cherokee Trail by three shots, winning with a two-day score of 3-under 423 for their first golf championship since 1981.
It included none of their individuals inside the top 10 — with senior Henry Starr (1-under 141) in 12th, Wyatt Isgrig (143) 15th, Dalton Schwartz (144) 22nd and Andre Dumonteil (145) in 26th.
“This is probably one of the most resilient groups we’ve had at Creek over the last decade,” said coach Dustin Neel, whose team finished runner-up to Rock Canyon in 2023. “I felt like not only were they good players, but I felt like they were mentally tougher this year to compete when the pressure was on. And they got it done.”
Rounding out the top five individuals, Fairview’s Miles Kuhl, Columbine’s Alex Lest and Cherokee Trail’s Dalton Sisneros finished tied for third at 137.
Fossil Ridge and Valor Christian tied for third in the team race at 432. Fairview finished fifth (433).
(Brent New/BoCoPreps.com)
