A year after finishing as a surprising 4A runner-up, Crimson Cliffs made a pretty strong statement Wednesday during the opening day of the 4A boys golf state tournament about who the best team is this year.
The Mustangs shot a 3-under 285 at Sky Mountain Golf Course in Hurricane to seize a 16-shot lead of region foe Desert Hills (301) heading into Thursday’s final round.
Ridgeline, last year’s state champ, sits in third place with a 310, followed closely by Sky View at 311.
With Crimson Cliffs’ third state title in four years all but a foregone conclusion after Wednesday, perhaps the only drama on Thursday will be in the individual competition.
Crimson Cliffs junior Boston Bracken shot a 6-under 66 in the first round and leads fellow junior teammate Lincoln Markham who’s one back at 5-under.
Desert Hills sophomore Brock Porter sits in third at 1-under, while defending 4A champion Zach Skinner of Ridgeline and Crimson Cliffs senior Preston Heward are tied for fourth at 1-over.
4A state tournament
At Sky Mountain Gold Course
Day 1 Team scores
1. Crimson Cliffs, 285
2. Desert Hills, 301
3. Ridgeline, 310
4. Sky View, 311
5. Dixie, 313
5. Cedar, 313
7. Snow Canyon, 317
8. Green Canyon, 325
8. Hurricane, 325
Day 1 Individual results
- 66 — Boston Bracken, Crimson Cliffs
- 67 — Lincoln Markham, Crimson Cliffs
- 71 — Brock Porter, Desert Hills
- 73 — Preston Heward, Crimson Cliffs
- 73 — Zachary Skinner, Ridgeline
- 74 — Staten McMurdie, Dixie
- 74 — Boston Dixon, Desert Hills
- 75 — Mason Shaffer, Dixie
- 76 — Ryker Bennett, Bear River
- 76 — Braylon Bingham, Cedar
- 76 — Michael Stirland, Hurricane
- 77 — Eli Jensen, Sky View
- 77 — Gabe Taylor, Logan
- 77 — Weston Andelin, Desert Hills
- 77 — Luke Barnes, Cedar
- 78 — Simon Johnson, Sky View
- 78 — Miles Cromwell, Sky View
- 78 — Hayden Howell, Sky View
- 78 — Matthew Robb, Cedar
- 78— Beckham Johansen, Ridgeline