AURORA | The 2024 prep boys golf season for Aurora teams at a glance:
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2024 AURORA BOYS GOLF SEASON AT A GLANCE
Teams: Gateway is the lone Aurora boys golf program in the Class 4A classification, while Aurora Central, Cherokee Trail, Eaglecrest, Grandview, Hinkley, Rangeview, Regis Jesuit and Vista PEAK Prep compete in Class 5A. The Bison moved up from 4A.
Coaches: Aurora Central — James Laing; Cherokee Trail — Ryan Stevens; Eaglecrest — Stan Adams; Gateway — Brian Dossey; Grandview — Kurtis Bailey; Overland — Casey Coy; Rangeview — Jason Oulman; Regis Jesuit — Craig Rogers; Smoky Hill — Danny Hudson; Vista PEAK Prep — Colin Degroot
Last year: Aurora had two four-player teams — Cherokee Trail and Regis Jesuit — qualify for the Class 5A state tournament along with individual state qualifiers from Eaglecrest, Grandview and Smoky Hill. The Cougars finished in a tie with Cherry Creek for second place (the Bruins took home the trophy after a one-hole team playoff), while the Raiders were sixth. Cherokee Trail’s Brayden Forte tied for second individually as the top finisher. Full recap of last season’s Class 5A boys state golf tournament, here.
Regular season/postseason: The boys golf season began Aug. 8 and competition continues through the last week of September. Teams will be divided into regional tournaments Sept. 30-Oct. 1 based on their finish in their respective team standings. State tournaments are scheduled for Oct. 7-8, with Class 5A set to play locally at CommonGround G.C. on the Aurora-Denver border, while 4A qualifiers will go to Tiara Rado in Grand Junction.
News and notes: There is a notable change in the coaching ranks, as Ryan Stevens has taken over as head coach at Cherokee Trail in place of Jason Leclaire, who had the job for a significant time. The Cougars return all four of their players from last season’s 5A second-place finish in senior Christopher O’Donnell, juniors Brayden Forte and Dalton Sisneros and sophomore Anthony Chen. …The other returning 5A state qualifiers from the area are O’Donnell and Regis Jesuit senior Roland Thornton (three-time state qualifiers), two-time state qualifiers in Forte, Eaglecrest junior Gregory White and Grandview senior Michael Rosman and previous qualifiers in Regis Jesuit seniors Anthony Lore, Ben Sander and Sam Walker, Sisneros and Chen of Cherokee Trail and Smoky Hill sophomore Hudson Roth. …The other new area head coach is at Vista PEAK Prep in Colin Degroot, who takes over for Michael Martikonis.
Look back: Full 2023 Aurora Sentinel All-Aurora Boys Golf Team, here
