GJHS boys golf second in state – again

The Tigers placed three individuals in the top 10

Rhys Martinez and Lincoln McQuade • October 9, 2024

Members of the Grand Junction High School boys golf team hold the runner-up trophy after finishing second in the Class 4A state tournament on Tuesday at Tiara Rado Golf Course in Grand Junction. From left are junior Hunter Simmons, senior Jack Kaul, senior Ky Korte and freshman Will Simpson. The Tigers finished with a two-day team score of 447.

The boys golf team doubled down as the top athletic team at Grand Junction High School by finishing second at the Class 4A State Tournament for the second year in a row.

The tournament was held Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 7-8, at Tiara Rado Golf Course in Grand Junction. There were 14 teams from around the state and 84 individuals competing. GJHS had three individuals win medals for finishing in the top 10.

Senior Ky Korte was third overall with rounds of 72 and 73 for a two-day total of 3-over par 145. Senior Jack Kaul was sixth overall with rounds of 72 and 77 for a 149 total. Junior Hunter Simmons was 10th overall with rounds of 76 and 77 for a 153 total. Freshman Will Simpson completed the Tiger lineup with rounds of 98 and 96 for a 194 total that put him in 73rd place.

“I feel good with the place that I was in individually, and as a team. It was on my home track. I was disappointed that I didn’t win, but I had my best finish and I had a great regular season. I was top three, and that was all I could ask for,” Korte said.

Despite having three finishers in the top 10, Grand Junction was still 18 strokes behind champions Cheyenne Mountain’s impressive 429 two-day team score.

GJ finished well ahead of third-place Windsor (458), fourth-place Durango (467) and fifth-place Air Academy (476) in the team scoring.

The Tigers are coached by Tom LeFebre.

Grand Junction senior Ky Korte sinks his putt on the 18th green Tuesday at Tiara Rado Golf Course that ended his high school career. Korte finished third in the state individually with rounds of 72 on Monday and 73 on Tuesday for a two-day total of 3-over par 145.

GJHS also finished second at state in 2023 in Montrose. The back-to-back second place finishes are the best by a Junction athletic team since boys wrestling won first place in 2018. Korte, Kaul and Simmons were also part of the 2023 state team.

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About the Contributors

Rhys Martinez, Reporter

Rhys Martinez is a sophomore at GJHS. He is a reporter for the Orange and Black newspaper. He likes building project cars, writing, playing basketball and football, and playing video games. He joined in the second semester of the 2023-24 school year.

Lincoln McQuade, Reporter

Lincoln McQuade is a GJHS junior. He is also a reporter for the Orange & Black newspaper. He loves playing guitar, watching baseball, and working out. He joined the Orange & Black in his junior year.