ROOSEVELT — The typical motivation of the state tournament combined with the motivation to finally beat Judge Memorial was an awesome combination for Morgan at this week’s 3A state golf tournament.
In two meetings between the schools this year, they tied once and Judge won the other by two strokes, and those tournaments were the extra motivation the Trojans needed at Roosevelt Golf Course.
Morgan backed up its 317 team score on Wednesday with a 304 on Thursday as it rolled to a second straight 3A state championship. The Trojans finished with a 621 team scored, well ahead of the Judge’s 642. Carbon finished third with a 673.
“The boys were focused, and we came to play. We knew we could play with them,” said Morgan coach Dennis Peterson. “Yesterday in the wind it was a battle all day and our boys just kept it together, and today the conditions were just perfect out there and it was just a matter of everybody going out and playing and playing their best. We just had a great day today.”
“The boys were focused, and we came to play. We knew we could play with them.” — Morgan coach Dennis Peterson.
Morgan sophomore Tanner Telford was dialed in the entire tournament. He backed up his 70 in tough conditions on Wednesday with a scintillating 67 with six birdies on Thursday to claim 3A medalist honors with a 137.
“I was hitting it really good off the tee, putting it in great spots to try and score and I was making putts,” said Telford, who said he stayed aggressive on Day 2 despite the 5-shot lead.
“I knew if I played good it would help the team out.”
A year ago at state, Telford was the Day 1 leader but he ended up fifth after struggling on the second day. There were no Day 2 struggles this year.
Morgan’s other top finishers were Eric Watts and Nathan Milburn tying for 10th with 161s and Brenden Vaughn finishing in 13th with a 163.
Judge Memorial senior Graham Hodell was the medalist runner-up to Telford as he fired a 73 on Thursday to finish with a 152. Carbon’s Bode Salas was third with a 153, with Grand’s Rafe Saunders in fourth with a 157.
3A state tournament
At Roosevelt Golf Course
Team scores
1. Morgan, 621; 2. Judge Memorial, 642; 3. Carbon, 673; 4. Richfield, 678; 5. Delta, 690; 6. (tie) Grand, Manti, 701; 8. Union, 704.
Individual scores
137 — Tanner Telford, Morgan
152 — Graham Hodell, Judge Memorial
153 — Bode Salas, Carbon
157 — Rafe Saunders, Grand
159 — Keston Lyon, Manti
160 — Nico Smith, Judge Memorial; Jaren Anderson, Richfield; Jake Henrie, Delta; Tyler Wallace, Manti
161 — Eric Watts, Morgan; Nathan Millburn, Morgan; Cub Garner, Union
163 — Brenden Vaughn, Morgan
164 — Sam Gaskill, Judge Memorial
167 — Riley Bouillon, Judge Memorial
168 — Sam Butcher, Judge Memorial
169 — Kaden Slavensky, Carbon; Keaton Anderson, Richfield
170 — Nick Olson, Carbon; Luke Williams, Grand