Over the course of the 2017 season, the Montezuma-Cortez High School golf team showed vast improvement, placed well in several regular season tournaments, and qualified two players for state.

Thus, it was not altogether surprising when senior Cristoffer Rudosky and sophomore Blake Keetch received first-team all-league honors from the Intermountain League. Cristoffer Rudosky was also named Intermountain League “Player of the Year” and Panthers’ head coach Micah Rudosky was voted the Intermountain League’s Coach of the Year.”

Playing his final season of high school golf, Rudosky delivered several memorable performances, including a 3-over-par round at the Monte Vista Invitational, which was good enough to capture medalist honors in the tournament.

Although the senior struggled slightly during his team’s regional tournament, he rebounded at the Class 3A State Tournament, where he finished fourth overall.

“We were excited for (Cristoffer),” M-CHS head coach Micah Rudosky said. “Taking fifth at state is great, we’re proud of him.”

Entering the 2017 season, Keetch was not especially well-known on the Western Slope golf circuit, but a season that featured several top finishes, the M-CHS sophomore became recognized as one of the area’s top talents.

Chief among Keetch’s accomplishments was a second-place finish at the Monte Vista Invitational and a sixth-place finish at the Class 3A Region 4 Tournament. Keetch capped off his year with a 19th place finish at state.

“Blake has a lot of talent and he works had and loves the game,” Micah Rudosky said “He was right in the (state tournament), and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him a state champion in the next two years.”

Entering the 2017 season with a few experienced players and several newcomers, M-CHS head coach Micah Rudosky again got the most out of his team.

In addition to helping Cristoffer Rudosky and Keetch qualify for the state tournament, Micah Rudosky aided in the improvement of Tim Wyman and Justin Brunner, who showed vast improvement over the course of the season.

Intermountain League coaches voted Micah Rudosky the league’s coach of the year.

“I’m proud of Cristoffer and Blake and the rest of our guys,” said Micah Rudosky. “They represented Montezuma-Cortez High School well throughout the year and at the state tournament.”