HIGHLANDS RANCH — In 2014, Valor Christian’s boys golf team has been dead-solid perfect. The Eagles are pure ball strikers who have dominated and are looking for the fitting finish to what would amount to a wire-to-wire showing and place them among the elite teams in state annals.
Each of the Eagles’ fab four — Pierce Aichinger (headed to Colorado), Ross Macdonald (also CU), Jake Staiano (Colorado State) and Coby Welch (a junior) — will be in the Class 4A portion of the state tournament Monday and Tuesday at Pueblo’s Walking Stick Golf Course with a season scoring average below par.
“I’m really not surprised,” said sixth-year Valor Christian coach Jason Preeo. “We had the top four guys (in 4A) and any of them could throw out an under-par score, they all averaged under par, so it wasn’t a shock.
“Look at the (Colorado Golf Association) website, you’ll see at least one of them in the top four in the top tournaments. They’ve done it all year.”
Three of their scores will count in the team chase. And if they play anything like in regionals, they will be tough to surpass. At Raccoon Creek in Littleton, Welch shot a sizzling 6-under-par 66. Macdonald shot a 69. Aichinger and Staiano fired 70s.
“It was just crazy. I don’t even know how to explain it,” Staiano said.
Macdonald called it “definitely awesome,” and Aichinger said the Eagles were planning on throwing out a score below par.
They would like it to continue at the state meet, but a team score under par is about as rare as an ace. Ask veteran ThunderRidge coach Jim McCord, whose team won Class 5A titles from 2001-06 and was 5-under in Grand Junction in 2003.
“It’s pretty tough do with all of the pressure and expectations,” he said.
Valor, the defending 4A champion, has won three times in five seasons. Regis Jesuit, with a blistering 7-under in 2013, is working on a fifth state title in a row in 5A (Cherry Creek did it from 1970-74).
Preeo has no complaints with his team’s combination of academics, character and performance. Being among the game’s best, a sport that may have the deepest field of any in the state, is within sight.
“It’s always hard to compare,” Preeo said. “We certainly would be in consideration if things go as planned. But it’s golf, so you never know.”
Boys golf
Individual regional champions with name, school and score in relation to par:
Class 5A
Southern: Grant Rogers, Boulder, 6-under
Western: Jackson Vacek, Fairview, 2-under
Central: Reese Leiker, Heritage, 1-under
Northern: Isaac Petersilie, Coronado, 1-under
Class 4A
Southern: Wilson Belk, Cheyenne Mtn., even
Northern: Shawn Solem, Berthoud, even*
Western: Cy Spicer, Durango, 1-over
Metro: Coby Welch, Valor Christian, 6-under
Class 3A
Southern: Drew Mendoza, Manitou, 4-over
Western: Trey Robinson, Aspen, 2-over
Metro: Mark Hillary, Kent Denver 5-over
Northern: Cole Folwell, Alex. Dawson, 1-under
*won in playoff
STATE TOURNAMENTS
Monday-Tuesday, 8:30 a.m first tee time; 36 holes stroke play, individual and team honors
Class 5A: Colorado Springs Country Club
Class 4A: Walking Stick Golf Course, Pueblo
Class 3A: Northeastern 18 Golf Course, Sterling
