COLORADO SPRINGS — A dazzling debut at the Class 5A state golf tournament put Broomfield sophomore Mason Hill in contention after his first round.
Day 2 — well that was more of a “grind” he can admit.
Coming into the Tuesday third on the 5A leaderboard at the Colorado Springs Country Club, two strokes back of the lead, Hill was dealt with his fair share of troubles during his closing round and finished 39th.
His day was dampened when he shot a 9 on par-4 No. 10, but his response to it — which included two birdies over his final four holes and a setup on 18 that stuck mere feet from the pin — signaled brighter days to come.
“I had a 9, which always hurts,” said Hill, who shot 14-over-par 85 a day after carding 72. “But knowing I can pull through it always helps for the future.”
His coach, Tony Ferraro, called the sophomore’s response “courageous”.
“He had some adversity, fell behind a little bit, but never gave up,” he said. “To finish (No. 18) there with the water and all the people standing there, and still make a birdie, is incredible. That second shot — I don’t think I could hit that second shot from the middle of the fairway to 3 feet like he did with all those people there.”
Hill’s struggles weren’t his alone on the area scene.
Monarch’s Caleb Michaels and Fairview’s Sawyer Sales led the local finishers, tying for 21st at 12-over 154 over the two days. And only three other area players finished inside the top 50 from there: Talan Gover of the Coyotes was 33rd at 156, Broomfield’s Sawyer Hyten 42nd at 158, Legacy’s Ben Cerretani 46th with a 160.
Frustration had been a theme throughout. But for many local players, more opportunity awaits.
“It was not what we had hoped we would do,” said Fairview coach John Zerwin, whose team of four took 12th. “They obviously wanted to play a lot better than they did, but this is a really good learning experience to play at a big tournament like this.”
Of the 11 players from the region qualified, eight are eligible to return next season. Of Fairview’s four, three can come back. The duo from Monarch and Broomfield also can, while of Legacy’s three — which took 14th as a team — Cerretani can return.
Michaels, for one, a junior at his third straight state tournament, said this state experience left him eager.
“Every time we come back (to state), it makes me want it more,” he said.
Arapahoe won the team title led by Will Kates, who beat Pine Creek’s Wesley Erling in a playoff for the individual win at 142.
The area’s other qualifiers finished like this: Fairview’s Mathieu Zerwin (169), Legacy’s Tommy Hammond (169), Fairview’s Chandler Levy (170), Fairview’s Nathan Sager (172), Legacy’s John McNabb (176).
