THORNTON — Though Valor Christian’s Brenna Higgins couldn’t close out her storied high school golf career with a three-peat at the 5A girls golf tournament, the senior settled for the next best thing.
Her teammate, sophomore Ella Scott, tapped in on No. 18 on Tuesday at Todd Creek Golf Club to clinch the individual title with a two-day score of 4-over-par 148. And the Eagles dominated the collective field yet again, becoming the first program in more than two decades to win four straight 5A titles. Skyline had been the last to do it, winning three straight (2003-05) after its district team won it all in 2002.
“I’m glad that it was her,” said Higgins, who won the 5A title 2023 and ’24, and will play at the University of Colorado next season. “And also, making high school history (as a team) is pretty cool, too.”
Scott was tied atop the leaderboard with Legend’s Maddie Makino after Monday’s opening round, and then for most of a windy Day 2. She finally pulled away for good following par-5 No. 14 — a hole Scott parred and Makino bogeyed.
Coming down the 18th fairway with a three-shot lead, Scott and Valor Christian coach Justen Byler shared an embrace. Then after the hole, while still on the 18th green, her teammates doused her in water, the same as they had for Higgins after her state wins each of the past two seasons.
“Brenna is one of my biggest role models,” Scott said. “It was really special that I was there for her last year when she won, and she was there for me this year.”
Valor Christian won the team title with a score of 30-over 462, 28 shots better than runner-up Legend.
Scott’s win came a year after placing 11th as a freshman. Behind her for the Eagles, Higgins and Aja Blankenship tied for seventh, 10 shots back at 158. Bella Eide was 15th at 163.
In second, the Titans beat out Fossil Ridge by two shots. Makino scored 151 to take individual silver, a year after taking fifth. Following her from her team, Adyson Ice was seventh (158), Lexi Glendenning 36th (181) and Kylan Ellis 73rd (207).
Rounding out the individual leaderboard, Cherry Creek’s Tatum Platt was third (155), Ralston Valley’s Addison Hines fourth (156), Regis Jesuit’s Audrey Whitmore and Chaparral’s Lilie Cohen tied for fifth (157) and Fossil Ridge’s Ellie Barry, Rock Canyon’s Ashley Chang and Brighton’s Raleigh Puzio (160) tied for 10th.
