After 2 runner-up finishes at state, Thayer Plewe runs away with 3A high school title; Bradley Weinmaster wins 4-way playoff in 4A, while Caleb Michaels prevails in 5A
By Gary Baines – 10/4/2022
In a rare year when there were no past individual champions competing in the Colorado state high school boys golf tournaments, Monarch senior Caleb Michaels (5A), Riverdale Ridge junior Bradley Weinmaster (4A) and Montezuma-Cortez senior Thayer Plewe (3A) were more than happy to fill the void.
The three won their respective state titles on Tuesday, with Plewe scoring a five-stroke victory at Pinehurst Country Club after being runner-up each of the past two years at state, and Michaels and Weinmaster prevailing in tight finishes.
In the 5A tournament at City Park Golf Course in Denver, a whopping 17 players finished within five strokes of one another at the top of the scoreboard. Michaels played his final 12 holes in 3 under par — and without a bogey — to prevail by one stroke. Michaels closed with a 2-under-par 68 for a 3-under 137 total.
Placing second were Fort Collins senior Ian Hunn, who bogeyed his final hole for a 68 after making eagle on No. 16, and first-round leader Austin Barry of Fossil Ridge, a sophomore who backed up a Monday 64 with a 74 on Tuesday, but played his final six holes in 2 under. Senior Wes Erling of Pine Creek, who lost in a playoff last year and was fourth in 2020, finished fourth again on Tuesday, tying with Landon Houska of Fossil Ridge (70 Tuesday), Aiden Krusoe of Highlands Ranch (66) and Luke Blakinship of Boulder (69).
5A team champ Fossil Ridge ended up at 3 over par for two rounds to hold off runner-up Rock Canyon and third-place Highlands Ranch, which finished two and four strokes back, respectively. Rock Canyon was competing in the team race with just three golfers.
It was Fossil Ridge’s second boys golf state championship in the last five seasons.
At the 4A meet at Pelican Lakes in Windsor, four players — yes, four — were tied atop the leaderboard at the end of regulation, then settled things in a playoff. Ending up on top was Weinmaster, the golfer who led after the opening round of 4A state last year before placing 10th.
Weinmaster sank a par putt on the first extra hole — the formidable 18th at Pelican Lakes — to prevail. He closed with a 1-over-par 73 in regulation — after playing his final seven holes in 3 over par — to check in at even-par 144. For the day, he carded three birdies and four bogeys.
Tying for second in the playoff were first-round leader Sawyer Klein of Denver North (75 Tuesday), Kellen Ball of host Windsor (74) and Zane Aiken of Ponderosa (72). Sophomore Tyler Long of Evergreen rounded out the top five, finishing a stroke out of the playoff after firing a 73 on Tuesday.
Cheyenne Mountain overcame defending champion Riverdale Ridge in the final round to earn the 4A state title by four strokes. The Redtail Hawks ended up 13 over par for two days, landing its third boys golf title in the 21st century.
In the 3A tournament, Plewe left no doubt this year after two straight second-place finishes at state. He closed out his high school golf career in style, firing a 6-under-par 64 at Pinehurst to win by five strokes over first-round leader Clint Summers, a freshman at Resurrection Christian who posted a final-round 70. Liberty Common junior Ryan Woodley placed third, six back of Plewe.
Plewe played his final five holes at Pinehurst in a remarkable 5 under par, going birdie, par, eagle, birdie, birdie. That’s what you call going out with a bang. He finished the day with an eagle, six birdies and two bogeys.
In the 3A team competition, Vail Mountain won by a single stroke over Resurrection Christian, 445 to 446. Host Colorado Academy finished third at 454. It was the first boys golf state title for Vail Mountain, which placed third in 3A last year.
Top Team and Individual Finishers at State HS Tournaments
5A AT PAR-70 CITY PARK GC
Team
Fossil Ridge 204-219–423
Rock Canyon 211-214—425
Highlands Ranch 220-207–427
Pine Creek 217-215—432
Cherry Creek 217-219—436
Eaglecrest 221-215—436
Individual
Caleb Michaels, Monarch 69-68–137
Ian Hunn, Fort Collins 70-68—138
Austin Barry, Fossil Ridge 64-74–138
Wes Erling, Pine Creek 69-70–139
Landon Houska, Rossil Ridge 69-70–139
Aiden Krusoe, Highlands Ranch 73-66–139
Luke Blankinship, Boulder 70-69–139
Charlie Tucker, Rock Canyon 68-72–140
Gregory White, Eaglecrest 71-69–140
Kyle Leydon, Brighton 71-69–140
4A AT PAR-72 PELICAN LAKES G&CC
Team
Cheyenne Mountain 219-226–445
Riverdale Ridge 217-232–449
Montrose 230-224—454
Pueblo West 232-228–460
Windsor 223-238—461
Evergreen 233-228—461
Individual
Bradley Weinmaster, Riverdale Ridge 71-73–144 (won playoff)
Sawyer, Klein, Denver North 69-75–144
Kellen Ball, Windsor 70-74–144
Zane Aiken, Ponderosa 72-72–144
Tyler Long, Evergreen 72-73–145
Reese Knox, Falcon 70-76–146
Noah Richmond, Montrose 74-72–146
Noah Wagner, Pueblo West 75-72—147
Thomas Herholtz, Cheyenne Mountain 71-78–149
Charlie Doyle, Cheyenne Mountain 75-74–149
3A AT PAR-70 PINEHURST CC
Team
Vail Mountain 221-224-445
Resurrection Christian 223-223–446
Colorado Academy 227-227—454
Kent Denver 232-225—457
Aspen 231-233—464
Individual
Thayer Plewe, Montezuma Cortez 70-64—134
Clint Summers, Resurrection Christian 69-70–139
Ryan Woodley, Liberty Common 71-69–140
Rudiger Heitz, Holy Family 71-74–145
Ryan Ewoniuk, Severance 76-72–148
Stewie Bruce, Vail Mountain 73-75–148
Felix Gruner, Vail Mountain 73-75–148
Jack Brayman, Peak to Peak 76-72–148
Carson Miller, Aspen 72-78–150
Garrett Exelbert, Basalt 72-78—150
For all the scores from the three state tournaments, CLICK HERE.
Colorado Golf Journal 