AURORA | Bead Boonta played even par over her final 11 holes Thursday to win the Centennial League girls golf tournament at Aurora Hills G.C.
The Cherokee Trail senior navigated imperfect conditions — that included sun, but plenty of cold wind that required players to bundle up for the entire round — and bogeys on three of her first eight holes to finish with a 2-over-par 74 that gave her a one-stroke victory.
Coach Justin Jajczyk’s Cougars finished second as a team behind Cherry Creek as sophomore Kaleigh Babineaux tied for fourth with a 77 and sophomore Haylee Clark also made it into the top 10 individually with a 79.
Boonta’s round included a pair of birdies, including one on the par-5 Hole No. 10 that put her 1-over through 10 holes, while she had a string seven straight pars come to an end with a bogey on her final hole.
Babineaux — who played out of state during the league’s opening tournament at Broken Tee G.C. — sat at plus-four after six holes, but made a nice save on the par-5 No. 8 and then made birdies on a pair of par-5s (No. 10 and No. 15) go get as low as 3-under. A double-bogey on No. 18 kept her out of what could have been a tie for second.
Clark ended up in a tie for ninth, but could have been much higher as she was at 3-over through 15 holes before she lost four strokes on the final three holes.
Coach Kurtis Bailey’s fifth-place Grandview team got its top score from senior Courtney Ladymon, who carded an 82, but lost five strokes on her final three holes to keep her out of the top 10.
Coach John Olander’s Eaglecrest squad didn’t have the four players required for a team score, but senior Savanna Becker carded a 9-over 81 that put her two strokes out of a tie for ninth. Becker made two birdies in a four-hole span on No. 12 and No. 15, both par-5s.
The next Centennial League tournament — which was rescheduled from earlier in the season because of weather — is scheduled for April 24 at Kennedy G.C.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2023 CENTENNIAL LEAGUE GIRLS GOLF TOURNAMENT NO. 2
April 20 at Aurora Hills G.C.
Team scores: 1. Cherry Creek 306; 2. CHEROKEE TRAIL 320; 3. Mullen 325; 4. Arapahoe 341; 5. GRANDVIEW 352
Top 10 individuals (par 72): 1. BEAD BOONTA (CHEROKEE TRAIL) 74; 2. Caitlyn Chin (Cherry Creek) 75; 3. Kate Cowser (Cherry Creek) 76; T4. KALEIGH BABINEAUX (CHEROKEE TRAIL) 77; T4. Kaitlin Zingler (Mullen) 77; T4. Tatum Platt (Cherry Creek) 77; T4. Sammy Yates (Mullen) 77; 8. Cecelia Murray (Cherry Creek) 78; T9. HAYLEE CLARK (CHEROKEE TRAIL) 79; T9. Molly Stratton (Arapahoe) 79
Aurora team-by-team scores (in order of finish)
Cherokee Trail (320): 1. Bead Boonta 74; T4. Kaleigh Babineaux 77; T9. Haylee Clark 79; 21. Sofia Johnson-Walt 90; Hayley Kucera WD
Grandview (352): T12. Courtney Ladymon 82; 15. Caroline Ryan 86; 16. Allie Arritola 88; T23. Kate Anderson 96; 25. Ella Wheeler 101
Eaglecrest (NS): 11. Savanna Becker 81; 26. Marianne Hwang 112; 27. Makenna Skinner 121
Other team-by-team scores (in order of finish)
Cherry Creek (306): 2. Caitlyn Chin 75; 3. Kate Cower 76; T4. Tatum Platt 77; 8. Cecelia Murray 78; T17. Maddie Li 89
Mullen (325): T4. Kaitlin Zingler 77; T4. Sammy Yates 77; T12. Jane Gray 82; T17. Riley Sullivan 89; 22. Braelynne Lawler 93
Arapahoe (341): T9. Molly Stratton 79; 14. Bella Cote 84; T17. Tatum Korte 89; T17. Peyden Gobble 89; 23. Maren Muller 96