LONGMONT — Mother Nature can be a fickle lady during the spring in Colorado.
Perhaps no student athletes know that better than girls golfers. They all know if it’s not one thing, it’s most certainly another weather wise.
Monday’s Skyline Invitational allowed for shorts most of the day, but it’s one thing to have temperatures in the 60’s … it’s quite another to throw in British Open like wind.
“It affects my game a lot and it’s just hard to adjust to,” said Skyline junior Adara Pauluhn, whose visor blew off at one point. “Even when you are putting it kind of messes with you and distracts you, but I need to get over that.”
Pauluhn, playing on her home course, carded a 9-over par 81 that was good enough for fifth place with her teammate Erin Sargent, but knows that the weather isn’t going to cut them any breaks and learning to adjust is a must.
Starting on the back nine of the 5,445-yard layout, Pauluhn was even par through her first ten holes, including back-to-back birdies at Nos. 18 and 1 — she rolled in a 20-foot putt on No. 1.
The wheels started to wobble after that. She played the final eight holes in 9-over par, including three double bogeys at Nos. 2, 3 and 6.
“I just have to learn how to get over those distractions,” she said, “and just keep my head on straight even when I have a bad hole.”
Pauluhn and Sargent’s matching 81’s helped the Falcons to a fifth place team finish, with Jessica Burnett’s 109 landing them at 271. Cherry Creek took home both the medalist honors, Calli Ringsby (1-under par 71), and team championship (235).
Legacy finished second in the team race at 250 and Rock canyon was third at 255.
Lightning senior Sarah Hankins played extremely well in the difficult conditions, carding a 1-over par 73 to finish second to Ringsby.
“I’ll take 1-over par any day of the week in that kind of wind,” said Hankins, who knows she is going to endure similar situations when she gets to the University of Wyoming in the fall. “People have been joking with me, saying that this is just going to prepare me for what is ahead.”
Jennifer Hankins shot an 87 and Andrea Hoos fired a 90 for Legacy, which sits in first place in the Front Range League after one league meet.
Other scores of note from around the BoCoPreps.com coverage area included: Monarch’s Delaney Elliott (86), Broomfield’s Carson Platnick (92), Boulder’s Aly Beeman (93) and Fairview’s Madison McCambridge (97).
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SKYLINE INVITATIONAL
At Fox Hill C.C.
Team scores — Cherry Creek 235, Legacy ‘A’ 250, Rock Canyon 255, Estes Park 269, Skyline ‘A’ 271, Broomfield 288, Monarch 289, Arapahoe 295, Loveland ‘A’ 296, Boulder 297, Fairview 297, Regis Jesuit 298, Prairie View 302, Mountain Range 323, Legacy ‘B’ 333, Loveland ‘B’ 336, Horizon 339, Skyline ‘B’ 339, Berthoud 369, Brush 374, Resurrection Christian 413.
Top individuals — 1. Calli Ringsby, Cherry Creek 71; 2. Sarah Hankins, Legacy, 73; 3. Jackie Biggs, Cherry Creek, 78; 4. Michelle Romano, Rock Canyon 80; T5. Adara Paulahn, Skyline, 81; T5. Erin Sargent, Skyline, 81; 7. Heather Krall, Horizon 82; T8. Haylee Hornick, Rock Canyon 82; T8. Alli Smith, Estes Park, 85; 10. Delaney Elliott, Monarch, 86.
Boulder results — Aly Beeman 93; Leah Perletz 96; Danielle Picard 108; Anna Cutler 111.
Broomfield results — Carson Platnick 92; Hope Kim 92; Skylar George 114; Rachael McCormick 121.
Fairview results — Taylor Sunset 91; Madison McCambridge 97; Taylor McAfee 109; Tara Srinivas 119.
Other Legacy results — Jennifer Hankins 87; Andrea Hoos 90; Kelley Yoshihara 108; Morgan Riley 112; Izzy Hebert 113; Lanie Hepp 114.
Other Monarch results — Carly Gallant 97; Mandy Emis 106; Taegan Brooks 110.
Other Skyline results — Jackie Reh 108; Jessica Burnett 109; Kylie Torres 109; Brittany Weingardt 115; Grace Gunlickson 122; Jordan Couper 132.
