With girls high school golf in Colorado undergoing a significant change after this year, it’s worth taking a look at what might be in store when the state high school tournaments are held Monday and Tuesday (May 18-19).
Next spring, for the first time since 2001, Colorado girls high school golf will add a classification, going from two to three. A 3A state tournament will be added to the existing ones for 5A and 4A.
Girls golf in the state had just one classification from 1990 through 2000, after which separate 5A and 4A meets were held.
Over the first quarter-century of sanctioned girls high school golf in Colorado, six players have won two or more state titles: Ashley Tait of Mullen (3), Lynn Ann Moretto of Cherry Creek (3), Becca Huffer of Littleton (2), Jennifer McCormick of Columbine (2), Kelly Jacques of Skyline (2) and Emily Wood of Salida (2).
Which brings us to this year. Senior Jennifer Kupcho (above) of Jefferson Academy is a big favorite to become multi-champion No. 7. Seeing that she won last year’s 4A state tournament by 14 strokes — one of the largest margins in state history — someone would have to pull off a major upset to beat her when next week’s 4A meet takes place at River Valley Ranch Golf Club in Carbondale.
Kupcho has been a significant force in Colorado women’s/girls golf for several years, but particularly in the last year. The Wake Forest signee became the youngest CWGA Player of the Year of the new millennium (17) in 2014. Last year, she won three CWGA championships, a couple of major CJGA titles and the state high school crown. She also qualified for two USGA national championships and finished second in the HealthOne Colorado Women’s Open.
And just this week, she teamed up with Gillian Vance of Dakota Ridge — who will compete in the 5A state meet at the Olde Course in Loveland — to advance to the round of 32 at the inaugural U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship in Oregon.
As for Kupcho’s high school career, it wouldn’t have taken much for her to be going for her fourth state title when she tees it up in Carbondale. She finished third in the state meet in 2012 as a freshman, ending up a stroke out of a playoff. And in 2013, she placed second, two behind champion Kala Keltz of Montrose.
As it is, a win next week would give Kupcho one of the best high school careers in state history, with two victories, a second and a third.
Meanwhile, Kylee Sullivan has enjoyed a different kind of success at the 4A state meet. She’s led Cheyenne Mountain to state team championships each of the last two years while finishing fifth individually in 2014 and sixth in 2013.
Other players that are likely to be on the leaderboard in Carbondale are Emilee Strausburg of D’Evelyn (third in 2014), Courtney Ewing of Pueblo West (fourth last year), Erin Sargent of Silver Creek (sixth in 5A last year and a 2014 U.S. Girls’ Junior qualifier along with Kupcho, Vance and Jaclyn Murray), and 4A Western Regional champion Kiselya Plewe of Dolores (sixth in 2014).
5A State Tournament at Olde Course: The 5A state meet at the Olde Course in Loveland figures to be a very competitive affair as a half-dozen top-10 finishers from 2014 are back.
Vance, who has signed with the University of Colorado, has posted top-15 finishes each of the last two years and went to the U.S. Girls’ Junior in 2014. Morgan Sahm of Grandview, the 5A Central Regional champion, has been in the top 10 each of the past two seasons and she qualified for the 2012 U.S. Women’s Amateur Publinks as a 14-year-old. Sydney Gillespie of Regis Jesuit, another 2015 regional champ, is going for four straight top-10s at state (including in 4A as a freshman). Brigham Young University signee Anna Kennedy of Legend, the Southern Regional winner, placed third at state last year, making her the highest returnee. And Murray from Regis, a 2014 U.S. Girls’ Junior qualifier, might also make some noise.
Defending team champion Regis will go for its fourth state team title in six years as it won in Class 4A in 2010 and ’12.
Monday Tee Times for State Tournaments: 5A, 4A.
Regional Champions: Here are the team and individual champions from the recent 5A and 4A regional state-qualifying tournaments:
5A Southern Regional (held at Heritage Eagle Bend) — Team: Cherry Creek; Individual: Anna Kennedy, Legend.
5A Western (Fox Hollow) — Team: Legacy; Individual: Andrea Hoos, Legacy.
5A Northern (Heather Ridge) — Team: Regis Jesuit; Individual: Sydney Gillespie, Regis.
5A Central (CommonGround) — Team: Grandview; Individual: Morgan Sahm, Grandview.
4A Colorado Springs (CC of Colorado) — Team: Cheyenne Mountain; Individual: Kylee Sullivan, Cheyenne Mountain.
4A Metro-West (Raccoon Creek) — Team: Colorado Academy; Individual: Jennifer Kupcho, Jefferson Academy.
4A Northern (Boomerang) — Team: Northridge; Individual: Adara Pauluhn, Niwot.
4A Southern (Hollydot) — Team: Pueblo West; Individual: Brooke Lucero, Rye.
4A Western (Cobble Creek) — Team: Montrose; Individual: Kiselya Plewe, Dolores.
