Seung Ha Choi doesn’t like Aurora Hills Golf Course, but she sure can play it.
Navigating the course where she’ll try to defend her Class 5A state championship in two weeks — one she admittedly isn’t fond of — the Overland senior finished with a 1-under-par 71 during the 5A Metro East Regional, May 8, good enough for medalist honors in a loaded field that included all the Centennial League teams and a sprinkling of others.
Despite a late bogey with one hole to play, Choi finished a shot ahead of Arapahoe’s Claudia Davis and two in front of the Cherry Creek duo of Callie Ringsby and Shinwoo Lee.
The Trailblazers didn’t register a team score as only two of their four players finished their rounds, but both made the May 21-22 5A state tournament field, as sophomore Soleil Worthy was the last golfer in with an 85 to join Choi.
Eaglecrest junior Jamie Griffin struggled with the putter, but still was comfortably above the cut with an 83. Griffin qualified for her third straight trip to state.
Aurora Central, Gateway, Hinkley and Rangeview in the 5A Metro West and Regis Jesuit in the 4A Metro West had their rounds canceled by rain on May 7.
• The Regis Jesuit boys lacrosse team snapped a three-game winning streak in a big way on May 8, cruising past Cherokee Trail 17-2 in a 2nd round state playoff game at Lou Kellogg Stadium.
Ryan Ball (6 goals, 1 assist) and Logan Stelzner (3 goals, 7 assists) combined for six goals alone for the sixth-seeded and defending state champion Raiders (13-5), who won for the first time since April 20 to make the May 12 quarterfinals.
Cherokee Trail, which got goals from Dylan Duresky and Sterling Huff, finished with a school-record 13 wins on the season. The Cougars — who beat Littleton 13-9 in the first round on May 4 — lost in the 2nd round for the 2nd straight season.
• The Grandview baseball team thumped Centennial League champion Cherry Creek 10-3 on May 5, pounding out 17 hits to snap the Bruins’ 13-game winning streak.
Grandview (17-2, 12-2 in league) — which managed just one hit when the teams played previously — got an inside-the-park solo home run by Jackson Peitzmeier as part of a three-hit day, a feat matched by Reece Weber and Jordan Rousselle.
Michael Tanner took care of the pitching, dealing 7 innings of five-hit baseball.
• The Smoky Hill boys lacrosse team’s first postseason trip since 2008 ended in the first round, as the 21st-seeded Buffs were tripped up 15-7 by Wheat Ridge on May 5 at Trailblazer Stadium.
Vinny Cardella and Hunter Gillespie each scored twice for Smoky Hill (7-9).
• At the Thomas Jefferson Twilight Meet on May 4, the Rangeview 4×400-meter relay team of Jordan Medina, Tyler Bloyer, Khalil Sellers and Steffen Johnson broke a 15-year-old state record with a time of 3 minutes, 14.73 seconds in the event three of the four won at last season’s 5A state track meet.
Johnson (who ran 47 seconds as the anchor leg) and the Raiders came from behind against Heritage and topped Montbello’s 3:15.43 from 1997. Medina, Bloyer, Johnson and DJ Harris also set the Rangeview school record in the 4×200 and the 5A standard for the season with a 1:27.92.
• The Rangeview girls soccer team finally got the test it had been looking for before the playoffs in a 1-1 non-league tie with Standley Lake on May 3 at Aurora Public Schools Stadium.
The Raiders cruised to an 11-0 EMAC record — winning the second straight league title for a program that had none until last season — and won each game by an average of eight goals.
They fell behind 1-0 against the Gators going into halftime, but Michelle Spesshardt converted a pass from Giovanna Fernandez for the tying goal in the second half.
• The Regis Jesuit Girls Division’s spring sports signing ceremony took place on May 3, with seven athletes recognized for the scholarship offers they received.
The majority of the signees were from the Regis Jesuit volleyball team — nicknamed the “Dream Team” — because eight of the Raiders’ nine seniors will be playing in college next season.
The new group includes outside hitter Michaela Smith (Metro State), middle blocker Jackie Miller (Colorado Christian), defensive specialist Izze Ginley (Whitworth University), Emma Unoski (Rockhurst University) and Victoria Jewell (Webster University).
The volleyball group was joined by lacrosse player Meaghan McGann (Sacred Heart) and cheerleader Lauren Troska (Colorado).
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555
