AURORA | The Cherokee Trail girls golf team has gotten better as the season has gone along and progressed to hardware-level Monday.
Coach Justin Jajczyk’s Cougars played well at CommonGround G.C. to finish eight strokes clear of their closet pursuer in a gathering of 12 scoring teams — which also included Grandview — plus some individuals from other programs.
Cherokee Trail was the only team to place its top three players in the top 10 and the threesome of junior Bead Boonta and freshmen Kayleigh Babineaux and Haylee Clark combined for a team score of plus-30 243, which bettered Rock Canyon’s 251 for top honors.
Babineaux led the way with a third-place finish with a plus-6 77 after a round in which she made three birdies, while Boonta made a birdie on her final hole (a par-5) to come in at 80 to tie with Eaglecrest’s Savanna Becker for fourth and Clark grinded for an 86 to round out the Cougars’ scoring.
Senior Emma Hildner shot 93 to lead the way for Grandview, which finished sixth. Becker, one of two Eaglecrest players in the field, made her second birdie of the day on the par-5 No. 18 and followed that with a par to finish at 80.
Senior Caroline Gardland represented Smoky Hill and tied for 25th with a 95.
The majority of Centennial League teams were in the tournament, but many did not play with their full lineups, including the host Bruins, who won the first two league tournaments of the season. Cherokee Trail — which has been third behind Cherry Creek and Mullen at those league tournaments — played without senior Devin Gilbreath, a recent signee with Regis University and along with Boonta a returning Class 5A state qualifier.
Rock Canyon’s Ashleigh Wilson shot even-par to win individual medalist honors by two strokes over Mullen’s Kaitlin Zingler.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at [email protected] Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2022 BRUIN INVITATIONAL GIRLS GOLF TOURNAMENT
April 25 at CommonGround G.C.
Team scores: 1. CHEROKEE TRAIL 243; 2. Rock Canyon 251; 3. Mullen 252; 4. Arapahoe 260; 5. Rock Canyon 2 276; 6. GRANDVIEW 281; 7. Colorado Academy 282; 8. Valor Christian 287; 9. Cherry Creek 289; 10. Highlands Ranch 309; 11. Elizabeth 318; 12. Broomfield 323; EAGLECREST and SMOKY HILL no score
Top 10 individuals (par 71): 1. Ashleigh Wilson (Rock Canyon) 71; 2. Kaitlin Zingler (Mullen) 73; 3. KAYLEIGH BABINEAUX (CHEROKEE TRAIL) 77; T4. BEAD BOONTA (CHEROKEE TRAIL) 80; T4. SAVANNA BECKER (EAGLECREST) 80; 6. Molly Stratton (Arapahoe) 81; 7. Brynn Dzengelewski (Arapahoe) 83; T8. Elee Vigil (Arma Dei Academy) 86; T8. HAYLEE CLARK (CHEROKEE TRAIL) 86; 10. Avery Lent (Colorado Academy) 87
Aurora team-by-team results (in order of finish)
Cherokee Trail (243): Kayleigh Babineaux 77, Bead Boonta 80, Haylee Clark 86, Hayley Kucera 100; Grandview (281): Emma Hildner 93, Lexi Guinn 94, Courtney Ladymon 94, Darian Browne 96; Eaglecrest (NS): Savanna Becker 80, Sydney Crouthers 107; Smoky Hill (NS): Caroline Gardland 95
