Valor Christian, Erie and St. Mary’s All Repeat Champs

Three Denver-area girls golf teams won 2023 state titles in two-day competitions May 30 and 31, and each had a team member win an individual title as well.

5A Champions – Valor Christian High School

Valor Christian won their second straight state title and Valor sophomore Brenna Higgins finished as medalist during state competition May 30 and 31 at Black Bear Golf Club in Parker. Higgins defeated Smoky Hill High School freshmen Sophia Stiwich in a one-hole playoff. Higgins took her first individual state championship and helped secure the title for her team; she posted a total two-day score of 143. Her teammates doused Higgins in water when she won.

4A Champions- Erie High School

Erie not only won their second consecutive state championship, but junior Logan Hale also took Erie’s second consecutive individual championship. She finished ahead of teammate Hadley Ashton, who finished in second place after winning the medalist title herself last year as a freshman. Hale finished with a two-day score of 137, seven strokes under par at the Thorncreek Golf Course. Erie sophomore Taylor Hale also placed in the top ten with a score of 159. Holly Drennen, a junior, rounded out the team’s overall score by shooting 199, allowing the team to beat out Durango High School by 49 strokes.

3A Champions- St. Mary’s Academy

Maddy Bante, a junior at St. Mary’s Academy in Denver, earned her second individual state title with a two-day score of 143 in competition held at Aspen Golf Club . While she was the only player from St. Mary’s to place in the top ten for the division, her school’s score of 521 among all of the golfers secured them their third consecutive state championship.

By Jasmine Ying