LAYTON — In a state high school golf tournament, region records and region championships mean nothing.
Tournament time is a whole new season. It's a fresh start for every team that tees it up in the two-day event, and there's a few Class 4A teams that are thankful that the golf of the past few weeks doesn't count anymore.
Both teams atop the standings after round one of the 4A state golf tournament at Valley View Golf Course failed to win their region crowns. The Sky View Bobcats finished second in Region 5 but hold a six-shot lead over defending state champion Orem after 18 holes. The Tigers also came into the tournament not winning their region but still posted a team score of 314 to be the next team in line behind Sky View's 309.
"That's golf," said Orem coach Steve Downey, a bit surprised at his team's performance Monday. "In a two-day tournament you just never know what will happen."
The Springville Red Devils shot the best opening-round score of any of the classification's three region champions and are tied for third at 315, seven shots behind the Bobcats. The Payson Lions, fourth-place finishers in Region 7, are surprisingly tied with Springville at 315 — thanks in part to the 77 shot by No. 6 seed Luke Jones.
The West Panthers, winners of Region 6, are at 316. The Box Elder Bees, champions of Region 5, are at 320 and trail their region rivals by 11 shots.
Leading the way for the Bobcats were Chance Godderidge and Dan Heath, who fired rounds of 73 and 75, respectively. The Tigers' top score came from Brian Adamson, who also shot a 73. Sky View and Orem were the only two teams that did not have to count a score higher than 81.
"Our top two guys have been steady all year, and we've had some solid play from the other guys, and that's the type of effort we got today," Bobcats coach Terrell Baldwin said.
Sky View was in a similar position two years ago when the tournament was held at Mountain Dell but failed to hang on to the lead in Round 2. Baldwin doesn't expect his team to collapse like that today as long as the players stay relaxed, keep it simple and have fun.
"They don't need me doing anything to mess up their golf games. In fact, we probably won't even talk about golf," he said.
Good scores from the players down in a team's lineup is the key — just ask Springville, Box Elder and West. All three had only two players shoot in the 70s, but that can't be the case in Round 2 for any team that expects to catch Sky View.
Individually, the golfer on top is no surprise, but several golfers are well within striking distance. West's Gipper Finau shot an even-par 72 and leads by one stroke over Springville's Colten Lamb, and Adamson and Godderidge — who all shot 73. Two shots behind at 74 are Clark Fredrickson from Springville and Joe Wright from Box Elder. At 75 are Box Elder's Kirk Nielson and Heath. Lurking four shots back at 76 are Payson's Corbin King, Aaron Jorgensen from Olympus and defending medalist champion Tony Finau from West.
Gipper Finau led last year after round one but struggled on the second day and was later disqualified. Tony Finau walked away with last year's title by firing a final-round 63. The leaders tee off today at 11 a.m.
4A State Tournament
First Round at Valley View Golf Course
Team scores
1, Sky View, 309; 2, Orem, 314; 3 (tie), Springville, Payson; 315; 5, West, 316; 6, Box Elder, 320; 7, Highland, 325; 7 (tie), Bountiful, Bonneville, 327. Missed the cut — Olympus, 328; Murray, 328; Cottonwood, East, 336; Timpview, 340; Mountain Crest, 347.
Individual scores
72 — Gipper Finau, West; 73 — Colten Lamb, Springville; Brian Adamson, Orem; Chance Godderidge, Sky View; 74 — Joe Wright, Box Elder; Clark Fredrickson, Springville; 75 — Kirk Nielson, Box Elder; Dan Heath, Sky View; 76 — Aaron Jorgensen, Olympus; Corbin King, Payson; Tony Finau, West; 77 — Trevor Wortley, Bountiful; Luke Jones, Payson; Brad Bills, Murray; 78 — Curtis Takagi, Cottonwood; Fred Summers, Mt. Crest; Troy Owen, Woods Cross; 79 — Davis Garner, Bonneville; Alex Okland, Highland; Taylor Alward, Orem; 80 — Tanner Taft, Bountiful; Brandon Olson, Payson; Jordan Jensen, Sky View; 81 — Eric Black, Bonneville; Erik Stuart, Bountiful; Pekka Vanninen, East; Walker Jensen, Highland; Mackie Smith, Highland; Jon Lowe, Orem; Kendal Hawkins, Orem; Kourtney Knowles, Sky View; Josh Sakamaki, Timpview; Brennon Richardson, West; 82 — Jeff Hale, East; Davis Gull, Orem; Jace Nielsen, Payson
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