There’s always a chance a freshman girl is going to jump into the prep golf scene and make people’s heads turn. So far this season, there’s been not just one.

With iWanamaker rankings now playing a pivotal role in who qualifies for state, the early numbers for players like Scout Fitzgerald of Legend, and the Valor pair of Chloe Johnson and Emma Nguyen, are indeed relevant. Those three — along with Timnath frosh Peyton Landon, Pine Creek’s newbie Henly Wilson and Eads’ Reese Barnett — are all within the top-20 of the iWanamaker rankings after the first week of April.

Timnath’s Isla Carlucci, Smoky Hill’s Erianna Perez, Resurrection Christian’s Addison Moreno and Mountain Vista’s Aubrey Gonzales are all on the rankings’ first page listings, too.

There are some seasoned seniors to chase, but the growth of the game is obvious. Tougher courses are being conquered, bigger clubs being swung, and more hours are being spent on the real nuances of the sport.

Speaking of tough courses, Thursday was the Heather Cho Memorial at the University of Denver Golf Club at Highlands Ranch. As of this report, Fitzgerald was right among the leaders — along with Colorado Academy’s Sophia Lee, who was playing just her second prep tournament of the spring. More on that event next week.

The Big Kahuna

The City League Invite at City Park in Denver really brought with it some low scores, the lowest belonging to Dakota Ridge junior Nora Hogan and Cherokee Trail senior Maya Patel. With their matching 73s, they were two of a dozen golfers to shoot better than 79. Northfield’s Chanel Carlacci and Holy Family’s Isabella Tran matched each other at 74; Grandview duo Jean Lim and Jacqueline Cho matched at 75 as the Wolves won the event by two strokes over Cherry Creek.

Elsewhere

Five players shot in the 70s at Coyote Creek for The Nest Classic hosted by Frederick. Riverdale Ridge’s Brynn Balliet led with a 74.

St. Mary’s Academy sophomore Quinn Roman continues to impress, winning the Jefferson Academy tournament at Broadlands with a 73.

Makena Thayer won the Gypsum Creek tournament with her 73. She was 2 under on the back nine.

Tess Morris (Lutheran) and Landry Frost (Air Academy) had quite a duel at Meadow Hills on Tuesday. Morris went even par 71 and Frost was at 73 when all things were said and done. Morris had a pair of eagles — on the 358-yard sixth hole and on the 352-yard 16th. Frost holed out for a 2 on the 291-yard par-4 first hole to get her day started, then eagled the 408-yard third hole.

Mega Bonus

(No Laying Up)


Valor’s Ella Scott turned in one of the state’s lowest scores this season with her 65 at Lake Valley, winning the Erie Cocoa Classic. Her 30 on the back nine supplemented a three-shot sin over Littleton stud Zoe Bar-Or (68) — who also had a flawless 32 on the back nine.

Castle View’s Aiven Amella and Chaparral’s Lilie Cohen tied with 1-under 71s at the Continental League meet last Thursday at South Suburban. Cohen mixed in five birdies to Amella’s four.

Barnett was 17 strokes better than the rest of the field at the Wray Invite on Monday, carding a 1-under 69 at Wray Country Club. She had six birdies. Barnett later won the Centennial Bulldog Invite at Walking Stick on Wednesday.

Johnson and Nguyen matched each other at West Woods on Wednesday, each turning in 1-under 71s for a Jeffco League meet co-victory. Johnson’s steadiness paid off, while Nguyen’s eagle on her last hole helped forge the draw.

Acadia Curtis of Holy Family shot 2-under 70 at Indian Peaks to win a Granite Peaks League tournament Wednesday. Birdies on her 14th and 15th holes — 3 and 4 on the course — helped her pull away.

Fitzgerald led a group of three freshmen in the top five of the Loveland Invite on Wednesday at the Olde Course, firing a 2-under 70 to win by seven strokes. Moreno was at 77, and fellow RCS frosh Brittyn Goings shot 80. For Fitzgerald, the key sequence was a three-birdie stretch in four holes toward the start of her round.