Several top high school girls golfers in Colorado are seeking to make history this season, as four returning underclassmen champions prepare for the upcoming state championships scheduled for May 18 and 19. The tournaments will take place at ThornCreek Golf Course in Thornton (5A), The Bridges in Montrose (4A), Foothills Golf Course in Littleton (3A), and Lone Tree Country Club (2A).
The significance of this year’s competition is heightened by the rare feat these athletes could achieve. Since girls golf returned to the Colorado High School Activities Association lineup in 1990, only two players—Ashley Tait of Mullen and Lynn Ann Moretto of Cherry Creek—have won three individual state titles.
This season, Valor Christian’s Ella Scott (5A), Air Academy’s Landry Frost (4A), Timnath’s CheyAnne Schrick (3A) and Colorado Academy’s Sophia Lee (2A) each have an opportunity to add a second championship to their records, with some potentially reaching three or even four wins during their high school careers.
Scott described her journey from an eleventh-place finish as a freshman to claiming the title last year: “My freshman year, I felt like I was better than how I played and how I finished, but I just kind of kept that in the back of my mind,” Scott said. “I think I had a really bad finish on like the 17th hole freshman year. I five-putted.
“I knew in the back of my mind, I was like, ‘OK, I could win the state championship as an individual.’ And of course, with my team, but it wasn’t really anything that I really took seriously. It was kind of like, ‘Oh, this is like my goal. This is my dream. I hope to accomplish this.’ But I didn’t really know how real it was. When I won, it just felt kind of crazy.”
Frost also reflected on her growth after winning as a freshman: “I think it just proved to myself that I can put in the work and it can pay off,” she said. “That’s really driven my growth this year as well to continue… However, I just stayed within my process and… fought back and ended up winning by one stroke.”
Schrick attributed her success last season to consistent practice under challenging conditions: “I was just going out there (in the offseason) and practicing different scenarios… Freshman year, I really proved to myself that I definitely could get there…”
Lee highlighted her preparation strategy before securing victory: “I mapped out the (Pueblo Country Club) course… trying not to get too wrapped in the leaderboard or what other people in my group were doing.” She added she hopes she can become one of Colorado’s first four-time winners.
With these young athletes returning stronger than before—and each having already claimed a state title—the upcoming championships are expected to be closely watched events.
