Right now, the likes of Kenny Anderson, Gino Maio and Josh Gunderson are focused on crunching numbers.
In just a couple days, the boys golfers they coach are going to be focused on crushing golf balls.
The first postseason action of the fall high school sports season takes place Monday and Tuesday during each classification's boys golf state tournament.
Anderson's Windsor team — junior Landon Ball, freshman Kellen Ball, junior Carter Hinkle and senior Brentyn Paiz — will compete in the 4A tournament at the Denver City Park Course.
The Windsor boys golf team from left to right: freshman Dillon Calkins, junior Carter Hinkle, junior Landon Ball, senior Brentyn Paiz and freshman Kellen Ball. The Wizards were the Northern Colorado Athletic Conference champions. (Courtesy/Kenny Anderson)
Maio's Eaton Reds team — junior Cole Lockey, junior Cache Sanger and sophomore Peyton Walker — will compete in the 3A championships at Spring Valley Golf Club in Elizabeth. Ditto for Gunderson's Severance squad — senior Carson Fagan, junior Brycen Farris and senior Austin Guerette.
Northridge's Traejan Andrews will compete individually in 4A. Frontier Academy's Daniel Wyperd and Resurrection Christian's Gage Meis will tee off in the 3A tournament.
On Monday, each of these golfers will have the chance to pursue their dreams of winning individual and team state titles.
But for now, each squad's coaches have spent much of this past week looking at their respective team's stroke averages, learning as much as they can about the courses their pupils will play on, while evaluating the rest of the field to figure out where they should expect their team to finish in the team standings — as well as what it may take to exceed those expectations.
Severance senior Austin Guerette competes on Hole 13 at Coyote Creek Golf Course in Fort Lupton on Aug. 23, 2021. (Courtesy/Josh Gunderson)
"Right now, the top team (in 4A) is Cheyenne Mountain, they're the defending state champs", said Anderson, who figures his team will be right in the mix for a top 3 finish out of 15 teams. "We're excited. We'll just see what happens on Tuesday. Hopefully, we're celebrating something. The opportunity is there. And, that's all you want."
With a balanced, consistent team that is accustomed to sinking pars, Windsor has had seven first-place finishes and a second-place finish this fall. The Wizards placed third at the 4A Region 3 tournament on Sept. 21 at Highland Hills Golf Course in Greeley.
In the 3A Region 3 tournament Sept. 21 at Collindale Golf Course in Fort Collins, Severance finished third, and Eaton was fourth.
Maio said his squad has undergone a bit of a rebuilding process the past couple years. But, now the Reds have started to reemerge as the perennial contender they've been in the past, and a finish in the upper half of the 13-team field at state next week certainly isn't out of the question.
The Eaton boys golf team from left to right: coach Gino Maio, Matt Paris, Cache Sanger, Peyton Walker, Cole Lockey.
"I'm really happy with the progress we've made this year," Maio said. "The biggest thing for us is: if we can putt well and we can save a lot of shots, we can make a lot of headway. I know a lot of teams will probably struggle with the greens (at Spring Valley)."
Eaton hasn't had any first-place finishes this fall, but it has had a couple second-place finishes.
Severance, in just its third year of the high school's — and the program's — existence, has recorded four third-place finishes.
Gunderson acknowledged that his team struggled a bit early in the season, despite having everyone back from a year ago.
However, in recent weeks, the Silver Knights have begun to find their stride. And, now they shift their focus toward a potential top 6 finish at state next week, Gunderson said.
"It's just about mindset — knowing we can't go win the tournament on Day 1, but we certainly can lose it on Day 1," Gunderson said. "One of the biggest things will be keeping the ball in play, which applies to pretty much any golf course. But, (Spring Valley) runs along a creek bed, and there are a lot of natural areas and some hazards."
Bobby Fernandez covers high school sports for the Greeley Tribune. Reach him at (970) 392-4478, by email at bfernandez@greeleytribune.com or on Twitter @BobbyDFernandez.
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