CENTENNIAL | In what could be a glimpse of a tight season to come, Thursday’s Continental League boys golf opener couldn’t have been much closer.
At the conclusion of the tournament at South Suburban Golf Course played in the aftermath of a hard-hitting storm, the top three teams in the 11-team field were each separated by a single stroke.
With four new faces in its top five, four-time defending Class 5A state champion Regis Jesuit finished a stroke behind Highlands Ranch and one in front of Mountain Vista. The Falcons’ four scoring golfers managed a total of 15-over-par 303, while the Raiders’ scoring group of seniors Jack Lazzeri, Kevin Shafer and John Kane and junior Andrew McCormick came in with a 304 and the Golden Eagles scored 305.
Coach Craig Rogers’ Regis Jesuit team dropped last season’s league opener by double-digit strokes to Heritage, but still went on to win the Continental League championship handily and also cruised to a 23-stroke victory at the 5A state tournament.
But this season’s lineup is significantly different for the Raiders, with only Lazzeri back from last season’s state group. Though he admitted he doesn’t like the greens at South Suburban, Lazzeri managed to shoot a 3-over 75 that tied him for third place individually, five strokes behind medalist Kyle Pearson of Highlands Ranch and two behind runner-up Austin Hardiman of Mountain Vista.
In his varsity tournament debut, Shafer — younger brother of former Regis Jesuit boys standout Clark Shafer and four-year girls varsity golfer Sara Shafer — also shot a 75. Kane and McCormick, also playing their first varsity tournaments, each finished with 77s.
Junior Bennett Rogers also shot 81 for Regis Jesuit.
The Continental League slate resumes at 11 a.m. Aug. 11 at Castle Pines Country Club.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasnetinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel
CONTINENTAL LEAGUE BOYS GOLF MEET NO. 1
Aug. 7 at South Suburban Golf Course
Team scores (par 288): 1. Highlands Ranch 303; 2. REGIS JESUIT 304; 3. Mountain Vista 305; 4. Heritage 317; 5. Rock Canyon 318; 6. Douglas County 325; 7. Legend 329; 8. ThunderRidge 330; 9. Castle View 332; 10. Chaparral 335; 11. Ponderosa 341
Top 10 individuals (par 72): 1. Kyle Pearson (Highlands Ranch) 70; 2. Austin Hardiman (Mountain Vista) 73; T3. JACK LAZZERI (REGIS JESUIT) 75; T3. KEVIN SHAFER (REGIS JESUIT) 75; T3. Nick Leibold (Heritage) 75; T3. Chris Raap (Mountain Vista) 75; T8. Reese Leiker (Heritage) 76; T8. Josh Pusar (Rock Canyon) 76; T8. Tyler Zhang (Highlands Ranch) 76
Aurora individuals
Regis Jesuit (304): Jack Lazzeri 75; Kevin Shafer 75; John Kane 77; Andrew McCormick 77; Bennett Rogers 81
Other individuals
Castle View (332): Dillon Baker 80, Mark Olson 83, Andrew Callin 84, Casey Chitman 85, Reese Taylor 85; Chaparral (335): Josh Yovich 81, Jonathan Murayama 82, Kevin Miller 84, Blake Rich 88, Jacob Russell 92; Douglas County (325): Ryan Ledd 81, Nick Smith 81, Arthur Zabronsky 81, Caleb Roney 82, Bret Startz 84; Heritage (317): Nick Leibold 75, Reese Leiker 76, Sam Blackwood 82, Reece Parker 84, Nathan Parry 90; Highlands Ranch (303): Kyle Pearson 70, Tyler Zhang 76, Jackson Crist 78, Ryan Pearson 79, Charlie Schneider 79; Legend (329): Luke Auten 77, Philip Nelson 79, Wyatt Derman 83, Zach Nelson 90, Max Hass 92; Mountain Vista (305): Austin Hardiman 73, Nolan Cox 75, Chris Raap 75, Cameron Chapman 82, Patrick Vichman 72; Ponderosa (341): Drew Harkins 82, Danial Mastrobuono 82, Derik Mango 87, Kyle Ward 90, Josh Thompson 91; Rock Canyon (318): Josh Pusar 76, Ryan Zerwick 77, Nick Caldwell 81, Trevor O’Connell 84, Nick Benson 86; ThunderRidge (330): Phil Ferguson 82, Jack Matchiesky 82, Chase Noell 82, Trevor McCord 84, Trevor Crockett 90; Heritage Blue (335): Connor Amman 79, Ryan Way 82, Brendan Benson 85, Jordan Phung 89, Daniel Galuska 92
