Erie girls golf gets big win as several players hit the Mega Bonus this week

A heap of girls golf tournaments were played this week, making up for a slow start to the season hampered by course conditions and wintery weather. Amid all the action, the Colorado Springs Country Club saw a gathering of some of the state’s best players early in the week, and the conditions proved favorable for those who expect to compete for state championships in May. A couple of familiar faces from a championship-caliber team at Erie showed out. Elsewhere, Valor Christian got its season started in Jeffco League play the way it left off, and Northfield continues to dominate the Denver City League.

The Big Kahuna

Erie crushed the field at the Cheyenne Mountain Invitational on Tuesday, shooting a collective 315 strokes to defeat second-place Lutheran by 39 strokes at the Country Club of Colorado Springs. The Tigers had their top lineup available, and Hadley Ashton’s 4-under-par 67 represented a season low score for the state (more on that below). Logan Hale wasn’t that far behind, carding a 74, while Taylor Hale (82) and Hollyn Drennen (92) all finished within the top-12. Windsor’s Macy Kleve, a junior, shot an even-71 after getting hot on the back nine.

Elsewhere

Doherty freshman Joylanae Barnhill won the Lady Trojan Invite at Cheyenne Shadows, following up her 91 at the Cheyenne Mountain Invite on Tuesday with a 4-over 76 on Thursday. Pueblo West won the invite as a team.

Riverdale Ridge’s Brynn Balliet, a sophomore, went even (73) on her school’s home course in Longs Peak League play Thursday. She eagled the par-5 11th as part of her victory.

Northfield conquered Wellshire to the tune of a 65-stroke win on Wednesday in the Denver City League’s third completed tournament of the season. Four Nighthawks finished in the top five, though Vista PEAK’s Sophia Capua won the event with an 82.

Lutheran won its own tournament at Meadow Hills on Wednesday, as Ava Engelhardt’s 86 took medalist honors. Engelhardt also carded a 90 at the Cheyenne Mountain event.

Cherry Creek collected 318 strokes to win Tuesday’s Centennial League event at Foothills by 38 strokes over Mullen.

Maddy Bante, of St. Mary’s Academy, continued her red-hot start to 2024 with a 76 at Broadlands as part of a Metro League tournament event. Colorado Academy’s Jordan Slutzky (81) and Prospect Ridge’s Hope Torres (82) continue to play themselves to the top of the leaderboards in that league, too.

Led by a 1-over 73 from junior Lenna Pearson, Aspen won the Grand Junction Tiger Invitational on Monday at Bookcliff. Pearson had four birdies in the round. (Pearson also won the Devil’s Thumb Invitational last week, shooting an 81).

Three players shot under par at Meadows Golf Club as the Class 5A Jeffco League’s opening tournament sparked lots of competition. Ralston Valley’s Addison Hines emerged victorious, but three Valor Christian golfers were right below her on the scoreboard as the Eagles claimed victory.

Stratton’s Anna Marie Schaal, a junior, won the Holyoke Invite out at Holyoke Golf Course with a 90.

Eight players shot in the 70s at Harmony Club in last week’s Poudre School District Invite, won by Fossil Ridge.

Hunting the Mega Bonus

(Editor’s Note: The No Laying Up series Strapped features the journey of Big Randy and Neil Schuster playing three rounds of golf on a budget. The deal is that if either of them shoots a round under par, they win the Mega Bonus, which doubles their budget for the full trip. An avid No Laying Up fan, Colorado Preps editor-in-chief Dan Mohrmann likes to track high school players going for the Mega Bonus. They will be featured weekly in Adam’s golf recap.)

Ashton’s 67 included a very rare accomplishment, an eagle on the par-4 15th, and four more birdies on the round.

Rock Canyon’s Ashleigh Wilson finds herself on this list again after a 1-under 71 at the Broadlands in Continental League play. She birdied holes 13 through 16 as part of her event victory.

Cherry Creek’s Caitlyn Chin eagled the par-5 6th hole at Foothills on Tuesday, sparking her to a 2-under 70 and a Centennial League tournament win.

Back to the Jeffco League opener: Ralston Valley’s Hines, and Valor’s Ella Scott and Brenna Higgins all shot under par, with Hines’ 69 taking top honors. Hines went birdie-eagle-birdie-bogey on her final four holes; Scott had five birdies on her way to 71; and Higgins had four birdies and just three bogeys for her 71.

Back to the PSD Invite at Harmony Club, and it was Sabercats freshman Richa Sajjan who edged a tough field with a 1-under 71. She put together back-to-back birdies two different times during her round.