Regional titles from Fossil Ridge, Woodley lead 16 Fort Collins-area state golf qualifiers

Three teams and 16 players from the Fort Collins area qualified for the Colorado high school boys state golf tournaments across Class 3A, 4A and 5A.

Regional tournaments were held this past week at courses across the state, and several locals turned in some elite performances.

Two schools (Fossil Ridge and Windsor) qualified as teams, with all four players from each heading to state.

The 5A qualifiers won't have to travel far, with the 5A state championship coming to Collindale Golf Course in Fort Collins.

Here's a look at all of our area state golf qualifiers, plus what the venues and format will look like for the state tournaments held Monday, Oct. 2, and Tuesday, Oct. 3.

Fossil Ridge boys golf paced by Houska's 73

The reigning 5A state-champion SaberCats keep looking the part again this fall.

One week after taking the Front Range League title, Fossil Ridge also claimed the Central Region crown Thursday at Todd Creek Golf Course in Thornton with a team score of 10-over-par 223.

All four Fossil golfers finished in the top 10. Here's how they stacked up:

• Landon Houska: 73 (third)

• Austin Barry: 74 (tie, fourth)

• Cole Rogers: 76 (seventh)

• Kaden Davenport: 77 (tie, eighth)

The SaberCats are playing at a high level as they prepare to defend their 5A state championship.

Windsor boys golf's Kellen Ball cards 69 to lead Wizards

The Wizards also have a strong recent history on the links, winning the 2021 4A team title and finishing fifth last season.

Plus, junior Kellen Ball is coming off a state runner-up finish after making a playoff for the 4A title in 2022.

Windsor heads into state looking like a contender again after finishing second Thursday in Region 2 at Boomerang Links Golf Course in Greeley with a team score of 10-over par 226.

Ball shot a fantastic 3-under par 69 but settled for silver because medalist Bradley Weinmaster of Riverdale Ridge fired a remarkable 9-under-par 63.

Here's how the other Wizards fared:

• Connor Kosola: 78 (tie, 15th)

• Tadese Keyworth: 79 (tie, 17th)

• Ethan Tippets: 79 (tie, 17th)

Timnath boys golf team headed to Colorado 3A tournament

The Cubs qualified for the 3A state tournament as a team for the first time in just the program's second season!

Thanks to three top-15 individual finishes, Timnath is headed to state after firing a team score of 26-over-par 239, tying with Liberty Common but winning the tiebreaker Tuesday in Region 3 at Boomerang Golf Links in Greeley.

Here are the Cubs' regional scores:

• Jackson Summers: 79 (tie, 10th)

• Davis Walter: 79 (tie, 10th)

• Mason Hollingsworth: 81 (tie, 15th)

• Ethan Eisenmenger: 83 (tie, 23rd)

However, only Timnath's top-3 are eligible to compete at state for the team competition.

Liberty Common's Ryan Woodley takes 3A regional

It was a big regional for Liberty Common brothers Ryan and Michael Woodley, who each qualified as individuals for the 3A state tournament Tuesday in Region 3.

Especially so for the senior Ryan, who shot a 2-over-par 73 to win the regional title. Michael, a sophomore, will join him at state thanks to a round of 10-over-par 81 that put him in a tie for 15th.

The Eagles narrowly missed qualifying as a team, tying for third with a team score of 26-over-par 239 that was six shots off second place.

Fort Collins' Class 5A individual qualifiers

Three golfers from city 5A schools qualified as individuals for the 5A state tournament — one each from Fort Collins, Poudre and Rocky Mountain.

Here's how they scored in regional action:

• Max Riley, Poudre: 76 (ninth in Central Region)

• Matthew Iverson, Fort Collins: 76 (tie, 18th in Southern Region)

• Sam Kainer-Darst, Rocky Mountain: (21st in Western Region)

Colorado 2023 boys state golf tournaments schedule, format

All three classifications will play two 18-hole rounds over two days in the state tournament, which will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 2 and Wednesday, Oct. 3

Team scores will be determined by the top three scores per team each day, and all golfers competing will be eligible for the individual title.

Here are the locations for the 2023 boys state golf tournaments:

• Class 5A: Collindale Golf Golf Course (Fort Collins)

• Class 4A: The Bridges Golf & Country Club (Montrose)

• Class 3A: RainDance National (Windsor)

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado golf: Fossil Ridge, Woodley lead Fort Collins state qualifiers