PUEBLO – The state championships once again tested Colorado’s best golfers and at the end of the 36-hole gauntlet, Montezuma-Cortez’ two state representatives more than held their own.
Amid tough scoring conditions, juniors Amita Crowley and Afton Unrein improved their best state finishes at Pueblo Country Club on Monday and Tuesday, May 19-20 in the 2A state championships. Crowley closed out her third state appearance in a tie for 11th, while Unrein took a tie for 33rd in her second state trip.
Crowley’s two-day total of 175 (+31) kept her in the mix for another top-15 finish, as she sat in 11th after her opening day 86, then held her ground in the standings on day two. Her first nine holes included five pars on the way to a 40, and then three pars in her final four holes of the day closed out the round.
Tuesday’s action began with four pars in the first six holes for Crowley before four more pars on the back nine wrapped up a 44-45 final round.
Unrein posted one of the biggest improvements in the field from Day 1 to day two on her way to a total of 203 (+59). She climbed up several places as a result of her 99 in the second round, which included three pars on her final nine of the tournament. Her 48 on her last nine on Tuesday matched her score on the first nine of Monday’s round to help Unrein finish in the top half of the field of 84 golfers.
Scoring conditions proved to be difficult across all four state classifications, as the tournaments yielded no rounds under par and only four even-par rounds combined between all four tournaments. One of those even par rounds came from 2A state champion Sophia Lee from Colorado Academy, whose final round 72 helped her pull away for a five-stroke victory. Lee’s two-day total of 146 also led the Mustangs to their seventh state team title in girls golf, as CA (507) topped Salida (525) and Denver Christian (538) in the final standings.
Crowley’s top 20 finish earned her an all-state recognition, landing on the 2A second team all-state. The recognition is her second consecutive appearance on the highest honor roll after having made second team as part of the 3A classification last spring.
