FORT COLLINS | The Regis Jesuit and Lakewood boys golf teams finished tied for second place at last season’s Class 5A state tournament.
The Raiders and Tigers find themselves deadlocked yet again after one round of this season’s state tournament, this time in the top spot, after play Monday at Fort Collins Country Club.
Led by senior Andrew McCormick’s even-par 71 — which ties him for second individually — plus junior Tyler Zhang’s 73 and sophomore Cal McCoy’s 75, coach Craig Rogers Regis Jesuit team finished 6-over-par for the day, same as the Tigers.
Fossil Ridge lurks just two shots back of the co-leaders, while defending state champion Coronado is just seven strokes off the pace as the tournament is turning out to be as tight as expected.
McCormick finished his first nine holes at 1-over, but an eagle on the par 5 No. 10 put him at 1-under and he parred most of the remaining holes, with a birdie on No. 17 getting him back to even after a bogey on No. 15. McCormick sits in a tie with Mountain Vista’s Austin Hardman and Fort Collins’ AJ Ott at even par, four strokes behind leader Hunter Paugh of Fort Collins, who shot a 67.
Zhang made three birdies on his final nine holes and sat even with two holes left, but a double bogey on No. 17 brought him in at plus-2 in the first round of his third trip to the state tournament.
McCoy, making his state debut, sat plus-2 at the turn and needed a birdie on No. 15 to make back a stroke he lost with a double bogey on No. 13. Senior Bennett Rogers added a 78 for Regis Jesuit.
Among Aurora individuals, Eaglecrest sophomore Davis Bryant birdie his first hole and played 16 holes at plus-2, but bogeys on his final three holes brought him into the clubhouse with a plus-5 76, which ties him for 25th place. The Centennial League medalist has eyed a top-10 finish since the beginning of the season and has a tightly-packed group in front of him to move up.
The three duos from Aurora schools were closely bunched, as Grandview senior Mason Jowsey shot 78 with junior teammate Danny Taggart at 80, Cherokee Trail senior Ji Woo Jang carded a 77 and junior Bradley Scalia an 84 and the Smoky Hill pair of senior Paul Cleveland and freshman Christopher Kennedy — who carded a 75 on Sunday to get into state — shot matching 79s.
The second round is slated to begin at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. Pairings and tee times, here.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2015 CLASS 5A BOYS STATE GOLF TOURNAMENT
Team scores (par 213): T1. REGIS JESUIT 219; T1. Lakewood 219; 3. Fossil Ridge 221; 4. Coronado 223; 5. Mountain Vista 226; 6. Heritage 227; T7. Grand Junction 231; T7. Highlands Ranch 231; 9. Arapahoe 234; 10. Monarch 236; 11. Rock Canyon 240; 12. Fairview 241; 13. Cherry Creek 245
Top 10 individuals (par 71): 1. Hunter Paugh (Fort Collins) 67; T2. ANDREW MCCORMICK (REGIS JESUIT) 71; T2. Griffin Barela (Lakewood) 71; T2. Austin Hardman (Mountain Vista) 71; T2. AJ Ott (Fort Collins) 71; T6. Jack Castiglia (Lakewood) 72; T6. Josh Caridi (Fossil Ridge) 72; 8. TYLER ZHANG (REGIS JESUIT) 73; T9. Dillon Stewart (Fossil Ridge) 74; T9. Marcus Tait (Columbine) 74; T9. Troy Dangler (Fruita Monument) 74; T9. David Packer (Arapahoe) 74; T9. Isaac Petersilie (Coronado) 74; T9. Wes Moran (Coronado) 74; T9. Trevor Olkowski (Grand Junction) 74; T9. Nick Leibold (Heritage) 74; T9. Jackson Crist (Highlands Ranch) 74; T9. Chadd Vasquez (Doherty) 74; T9. Canon Olkowski (Grand Junction) 74
Aurora individuals: T2. Andrew McCormick (Regis Jesuit) 71; 8. Tyler Zhang (Regis Jesuit) 73; T20. Cal McCoy (Regis Jesuit) 75; T25. Davis Bryant (Eaglecrest) 76; T29. Ji Woo Jang (Cherokee Trail) 77; T36. Mason Jowsey (Grandview) 78; T36. Bennett Rogers (Regis Jesuit) 78; T43. Paul Cleveland (Smoky Hill) 79; T43. Christopher Kennedy (Smoky Hill) 79; T50. Danny Taggart (Grandview) 80; T63. Bradley Scalia (Cherokee Trail) 84
Full 5A first round state results, here.