AURORA | Cherokee Trail’s potential-laden boys golf season already has a big highlight, its performance at Wednesday’s Kent Denver Sun Devil Invitational.
Playing on the familiar Saddle Rock Golf Course, the Cougars finished a close fourth in a deep field of 27 teams, which included a pair of other Aurora squads in Regis Jesuit and Smoky Hill.
Ji Woo Jang led the way for Cherokee Trail, as the talented junior fired a 1-under-par 71 that was good enough to win the tournament by three strokes. Jang didn’t play for the Cougars on Tuesday during the Cherry Creek Bruin Invitational at Buffalo Run G.C. and also missed the opening Centennial League meet on Aug. 7, but made the most of his season debut.
Sophomore Bradley Scalia — a returning Class 5A state qualifier — supported Jang’s effort with a 79 and senior Alex Anderson shot 83 as Cherokee Trail finished with a three-golfer total of 233, just three strokes behind winner Heritage White. Arapahoe Black and Peak to Peak deadlocked for second place at 232.
Most of Regis Jesuit’s top varsity players competed in the Cherry Creek Invitational, so a new group of players got to play in the Kent Denver tournament. Setting the standard for the Raiders was Ryan Zoellner, who turned in a 79, one stroke better than Hayden Smith. Jack Fleischmann contributed an 86 as Regis Jesuit tied for ninth at 245.
Smoky Hill also played in the Cherry Creek tournament and both times were led by junior Paul Cleveland, who shot a 77 on Tuesday and followed that with a 79 Wednesday. Cole Johnson (98) and Hunter Cromley (105) rounded out the scoring for the 23rd-place Buffaloes.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2014 KENT DENVER SUN DEVIL BOYS GOLF INVITATIONAL
Aug. 13 at Saddle Rock G.C.
Team scores (par 216): 1. Heritage White 231; 2. T2. Arapahoe Black 232; T2. Peak to Peak 232; 4. CHEROKEE TRAIL (Ji Woo Jang, Brad Scalia, Alex Anderson, Ryan Loos) 233; 5. Kent Denver Red 237; 6. Heritage Red 239; 7. Valor Blue 243; 8. Ralston Valley 244; T9. REGIS JESUIT (Ryan Zoellner, Hayden Smith, Jack Fleischmann, Charlie Thornton) 245; T9. Kent Denver White 245; T9. Alexander Dawson 245; 12. Arapahoe Gold 247; T13. Cherry Creek Red 251; T13. Sterling 251; T13. Mullen 251; 16. Holy Family Purple 252; 17. Colorado Academy 259; 18. Lakewood 265; 19. Lutheran 267; 20. Valor White 270; 21. TCA 275; 22. Holy Family White 279; 23. SMOKY HILL (Paul Cleveland, Cole Johnson, Hunter Cromley, Evan Richards) 282; 24. Cherry Creek White 293; 25. Columbine 296; 26. Littleton 298; Machebeuf no score
Top 10 individuals (par 72): 1. JI WOO JANG (CHEROKEE TRAIL) 71; T2. Tyler Martinez (Arapahoe) 74; T2. Nathan Parry (Heritage White) 74; T2. Sam Taylor (Peak to Peak) 74; T5. Will Bullock (Kent Denver White) 75; T5. Nishant Datta (Peak to Peak) 75; T5. Mark Hillary (Kent Denver Red) 75; T8. Nick Leibold (Heritage Red) 76; T8. Trey Lambrecht (Sterling) 76; T10. David Packer (Arapahoe Black) 77; T10. Justin Vaughn (Lutheran) 77;
Aurora team-by-team results (in order of finish)
Cherokee Trail (233): Ji Woo Jang 71, Brad Scalia 79, Alex Anderson 83, Ryan Loos 92; Regis Jesuit (245): Ryan Zoellner 79, Hayden Smith 80, Jack Fleischmann 86, Charlie Thornton 87; Smoky Hill (282): Paul Cleveland 79, Cole Johnson 98, Hunter Cromley 105, Evan Richards 110
Other team-by-team results (in order of finish)
Heritage White (231): Nathan Parry 74, Connor Amman 78, Bill Moreland 79, Sam Blackwood 81; Arapahoe Black (232): Tyler Martinez 74, David Packer 77, Austin Lienemann 81, Henry Schafer 88; Peak to Peak (232): Sam Taylor 74, Nishant Datta 75, Ian Thorpe 83, Ethan Tartagila 94; Kent Denver Red (237): Mark Hillary 75, Oliver Jack 78, Michael Wang 84, Gary Schalatter 92; Heritage Red (239): Nick Leibold 76, Ryan Way 79, Reese Leiker 84, Reece Parker 92; Valor Blue (243): Zach Zurcher 78, Jack Schoenborn 80, David Lee 85, Buddy Nelson; Ralston Valley (244): Joey Buccino 79, Logan Hastings 79, Cooper Boeff 86, Dima Makarov 88; Kent Denver White (245): Will Bullock 75, Ben Sherman 83, Mateo Manzanares 87, Fritz Thompson 100; Alexander Dawson (245): Cole Folwell 79, Yale Kim 80, Tanner Faulkerson 89, Peter Teegaardin 99; Arapahoe Gold (247): Turner Johnson 81, Austin Duffy 82, Harrison Kochevar 84, Cory Giancaterino 85; Cherry Creek Red (251): Jack Ransom 82, Eric Oneth 83, Tim Scherman 86, Keene McClintock 88; Sterling (251): Trey Lambrecht 76, Brayden Lambrecht 84, Braedon Baxter 91, Riley Schaefer 100; Mullen (251): Reece Jones 80, Michael Phenicie 84, Jack Dowdle 87, Quinn Weigers 104; Holy Family Purple (252): Matt Collier 81, Jake Marty 82, Jake Karty 89, Tait McGowan 89; Colorado Academy (259): Thomas Messner 81, Joe Monahan 88, Max Messner 90, Danny Gallagher 107; Lakewood (265): Grayden Wolfe 80, Max Camp-Oberhauser 89, Manuel Garcia 96, William Forsen 97; Lutheran (267): Justin Vaughn 77, Nate Vaughn 85, Cooper Johnson 105, Nick Krupa 110; Valor White (270): Vincent Fillapaue 88, Tristan Lee 89, Reese Hummel 93, Keelan Wedeking 96; TCA (275): Bobby Ball 87, Tanner Harris 87, Luke Ciolli 101, Neil Baker 122; Holy Family White (279): Daniel Hanuszczak 91, Colton Clingman 94, Hunter Hill 94, Andy Nelson 101; Cherry Creek White (293): Zach Colter 96, Rizzul Karki 97, Max Malden 100, Jake Lawrence 105; Columbine (296): Connor Kane 92, Jaden Opperman 96; Max Kaan 108; Mike Potter 122; Littleton (298): Hil Abbot 96, Jake Metzmaker 100, Anders Olsson 102, Matt Rolen 108; Machebeuf (NS): Daniel Rios 109, Jared Caswell 115, Trevor Martinez and Tino Vigil, W/D
