Showcasing impressive swings that were honed during countless hours of practice throughout the summer and the fall, members of the Montezuma-Cortez High School golf team combined to help their team win the Class 3A Region 4 Golf Tournament at Aspen Golf Club on Sept. 25.

Leading the way for the Panthers in the 15-team tournament was senior Blake Keetch, who played his best golf of season when it mattered most and finished first overall with a 2-over-par round of 73. Keetch finished with a birdie on No. 18 to finish with a one-shot victory.

Just behind Keetch was freshman Thayer Plewe, who showed no signs of nervousness during the most important tournament of his short high school career and finished second overall with a score of 3-over 74.

Rounding out the Panthers’ varsity scorers were Dolores High School junior JJ Brunner, who continued his season-long trend of consistent improvement, finishing tied for 11th place with a score of 89.

Junior Cason Allmon also suited up for M-CHS and played well, finishing 49th in the individual standings with a score of 118.

Thanks to their players’ impressive performances, M-CHS finished first in the team standings with a combined score of 23-over-par. Aspen High School, which had won a regional championship each of the past 10 years, finished second overall with a score of 25-over-par.

Basalt High School rounded out the top three with a score of 44-over-par. Fifteen teams competed in the tournament.

Thanks to its top finish at regionals, the entire M-CHS golf team qualified for the Class 3A State Tournament, which will be held at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Eisenhower Golf Course in Colorado Springs Oct. 7 and 8.