Fourth place simply was a first step for the Durango High School boys golf team.
The Demons will begin play in the Class 4A state tournament Monday at Walking Stick Golf Course in Pueblo. DHS will have its full four-man team at the championship after winning the 4A Western Regional tournament for a second consecutive season.
A year ago, the Demons finished in fourth place at state, and juniors Cameron Barnhardt and Cory Gillespie both will return to state from that team. Gillespie will make his third consecutive appearance at the state tournament, having qualified every year he has been in high school.
“I really do think we should do even better this year,” Gillespie, son of Jackie and Trecey Gillespie, said after the regional tournament win at Hillcrest Golf Club on Sept. 17. “I’m feeling pretty good, and I think it is a good course for us.”
Gillespie said he has played a few rounds at Walking Stick, a par-72 that measures 7,136 yards.
Walking Stick, built in 1991 and designed by Arthur Hills, features large fairways and few trees to provide good looks at the greens with approach shots. However, there is thick, wispy rough areas, which will make keeping the ball in the fairways a top priority.
“I’m not very familiar with it, but I’ve played it a couple of times,” DHS head coach Kirk Rawles said. “We will look at it, and I’ll chart it and see what it looks like.”
The other two DHS players that will play at state are juniors Cy Spicer, who finished first in the regional tournament with a 1-over-par 72 at Hillcrest, and Eric Walker.
Spicer came on strong in the final third of the season before his win at regionals, and he is very confident in the team’s ability to score low.
“I feel like I can do even better, and I know I can also come through when I’m not playing my best,” said Spicer, son of Scott Spicer. “My goal at state is to shoot in the low 70s, or maybe I can bring the team in with a 69.”
Spicer and Walker will fill the shoes of Trevor Bogus and Bo Ward. Both Bogus and Ward graduated last spring and now play on the Fort Lewis College team.
Being able to go to state with the entire team was the Demons’ biggest goal, especially since all four players will be back next season.
“I am so happy to be going to state as a team. I think we can finish up there, and I think we can win it if we all play well,” Spicer said.
Rawles, a master of golf psychology, is pleased with the balance in his team, especially in the emotional aspect of the game.
“Golf is a fickle sport, so you gotta play to what your personality is,” Rawles said. “(Spicer) is more laid back and can go off on his own, and (Gillespie) is a little fiery. As a coach, you just look at their personality and try to get the most out of them.”
The top-three Demons, Barnahrdt, Gillespie and Spicer, all consistently break 80, and Walker has been in the low 80s most of the season. Only the top-three scores count toward the team total, and Rawles is confident all four boys can help the team go low.
“(Walker) has all the potential in the world, and (Barnhardt) has found another gear,” Rawles said. “The mainstay for us is (Gillespie) with only one round in the 80s all year. (Spicer) winning regionals was a big building block for him, and it should really help him at state.”
Walker will be the first Demon to tee off Monday. He is in a group with Windsor’s Bowe Colohan and Niwot’s Luke Toillion at 9:33 a.m.
Gillespie will follow at 9:42 a.m. with Windsor’s Bretton Krantz and Niwot’s Forrest Weaver.
Next will be Barnhardt at 9:51 a.m. in a group with Windsor’s Cole Krantz and Niwot’s Andrew Seals, and Spicer will round out the Demons at 10 a.m. against Valor Christian’s Pierce Aichinger and Cheyenne Mountain’s Jacob Doyle.
“We’re really excited to represent the Western Slope again this year at state,” Rawles said. “We had a taste of it last year, so we are going in knowing we can be competitive at state.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
