Apparently, Glenn herself is nowhere near satisfied with that.

The Valor Christian senior and University of Colorado women’s golf recruit not only advanced to state and is on the leaderboard, but she’s the outright leader after Monday’s first round of the meet at Broken Tee Golf Course.

Glenn shot a 2-over-par 74 in the rain and wind on Monday and grabbed a one-stroke advantage heading into Tuesday’s final round. She hit 17 greens in regulation and closed with a 1-under-par 35 on the back nine.

A former high-level gymnast, Glenn is one shot ahead of Taylor Dorans of Broomfield (pictured) and Jennifer Kupcho of Jefferson Academy heading into the final 18.

Glenn started playing golf as a sophomore, but just a year later she placed ninth at state. And now this year’s tournament is the future CU golfer’s to lose.

“You just keep on cutting strokes back and improving,” she said of her rapid progress in golf. “That’s all you can ask for in this game.”

It wasn’t long ago that Glenn had her sights set on a gymnastics scholarship at the University of Denver. But that was before she broke her right leg during her sophomore year at Valor Christian.

Just a few months after suffering the injury, she competed in golf at the junior varisty level — while wearing a cast on her leg.

“I was on one leg, hobbling around and hitting away,” she said. “When you love something it doesn’t matter what obstacle is in front of you. You’ll go for success no matter what.”

Glenn said she won “about” five high school tournaments this season and averaged 75. But after her 74 Monday, she thinks she’s capable of going even lower in Tuesday’s final round.

“I’m hoping I can go under tomorrow,” Glenn said. “I had three three-putts today; my distance control was off a lot. Tomorrow will be better. I’m excited.”

Likewise for the other contenders.

Dorans, a University of Wyoming golf signee, has finished fourth once and sixth twice in her previous trips to state. Kupcho, who placed third last year at state, had the lowest state-qualifying round this season — in either Class 4A or 5A — in firing a 67 at Fox Hollow in the 4A Metro-West Regional.

Dorans missed two putts inside of 4 feet in her first 10 holes, but finished strong, going 1 under in her last seven despite closing with a bogey.

“I feel really good,” she said. “I’m coming out here just playing for myself — having fun, enjoying it, because it’s my last high school tournament. I’m kind of just embracing it and doing what I can. I can’t control what the other girls are going to do, but as long as I play for myself, I’ll be happy.”

Meanwhile, Kupcho thinks if she gets her putting homed in, she’ll be in good shape on the final day.

“I hit everything good (on Monday), but I just couldn’t putt,” she said. “The first four holes I had 5-footers on every one and only made one.”

Cheyenne Mountain leads the 4A team competition by five strokes after Valor Christian’s Laura Cohan forgot a penalty stroke and signed for an incorrect score. Therefore, the team couldn’t use her total of 86 among its three best individual scores. Instead, it counted a 95. That dropped Valor from first to second place as it has a 253 total, compared to Cheyenne Mountain’s 248.

Cohan will be able to compete in Tuesday’s final round and her score can be used for VC’s second-day team total.

For 4A scores, CLICK HERE.

Cherry Creek’s Ringsby Leads 5A By Two in Grand Junction: Cherry Creek junior Calli Ringsby took a two-stroke lead at the halfway point of the 5A girls state tournament at Tiara Rado Golf Course in Grand Junction.

Ringsby, who swept the CWGA Junior Stroke Play and Junior Match Play championships last year, fired a 1-over-par 73 on Monday. The junior, who made three birdies and four bogeys in the opening round, is seeking her first state high school title after placing second in 2011 and fourth last year.

Three players share second place at 75 heading into Tuesday’s final round. University of Colorado signee Claudia Davis of Arapahoe is tied for that spot with Jenni Chun of Highlands Ranch and Michelle Romero of Rock Canyon.

Defending champion Mackenzie Cohen of Cherry Creek opened with an 82 and shares 20th place.

Two-time defending 5A state champion Cherry Creek shot a 236 and leads the team competition by three over Arapahoe.

For 5A scores, CLICK HERE.

The Bruins have also captured seven individual state championships over that period, including the first (by Jill McGill, who went on to win two USGA championships) and the last (Mackenzie Cohen).

Arapahoe, meanwhile, has claimed one state team title in girls golf (2010) and has never won the individual crown.

Considering how the Bruins and Warriors have dominated girls golf in the state recently, one or both schools figure to add to their trophy cases this year.

Cherry Creek and Arapahoe have monopolized the top two spots in the girls 5A state golf championships each of the last three years, with Creek winning the last two titles. And no one would be surprised if this year produced more of the same when the 5A meet is held Monday and Tuesday (May 20-21) at Tiara Rado Golf Course in Grand Junction.

Meanwhile, the 4A state tournament will be played those same days at Broken Tee Golf Course in Englewood.

Appropriately, the teams were separated by just one stroke at their state qualifying tournament, the Metro-East Regional at South Suburban Golf Course last week. And arguably the two favorites to win the 5A individual title, juniors Calli Ringsby of Cherry Creek and Hannah Wood of Arapahoe, placed 1-2 at that regional, with scores of 72 and 73, respectively. (Ringsby is pictured swinging above, while Wood is at left.)

Both golfers are in the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program at CommonGround Golf Course, which is owned and operated by the CGA and CWGA.

Ringsby won both the CWGA Junior Stroke and Junior Match Play Championships last year, and she was one of four girls who represented the U.S. in the USA-China Youth Golf Match last August. She’s finished second and fourth in her previous two 5A state tournaments.

Wood made an impression on the national stage in March when she won the prestigious Kathy Whitworth Invitational in Texas. In Colorado, she captured the CJGA Tournament of Champions last fall. At the 5A state meet, she’s placed 10th as a freshman and third last year.

Also a good bet to be in contention this year is University of Colorado signee Claudia Davis of Arapahoe, who’s had three top-11 finishes at state. Meanwhile, Cherry Creek’s Cohen, who pulled off a big surprise in winning the 5A individual championship last year, will defend her title.

At the 4A state meet at Broken Tee, Jennifer Kupcho of Jefferson Academy and Taylor Dorans of Broomfield figure to be the favorites for the individual title.

Kupcho, the 2012 CWGA Junior Player of the Year, won the CJGA 14-18 Junior Series Championship as a 15-year-old last year. She shot the lowest score at any regional — 4A or 5A — when she carded a 5-under-par 67 at Fox Hollow in the 4A Metro-West.

Dorans, who has signed to play college golf at the University of Wyoming, won the 4A Northern Regional title for the third time. She’s finished in the top six in each of her previous three trips to state.

Regis Jesuit, the 4A team champion a year ago, is now competing on the 5A level.

Here is a rundown of all the 2013 regional champions, and of the known college golf signees in the 5A and 4A fields.

2013 Regional Individual Champions — Calli Ringsby, Cherry Creek, 5A Metro-East Regional, 72; Jaylee Tait, Columbine, 5A Metro-West Regional, 74; Jennie Chun, Highlands Ranch, 5A Northern Regional, 74; Mary Kate Nelson, Pine Creek, 5A Colorado Springs Regional, 82; Jennifer Kupcho, Jefferson Academy, 4A Metro-West Regional, 67; Taylor Dorans, Broomfield, 4A Northern Regional, 76; Taylor Walters, Rifle, 4A Western Regional, 74; Gia Zupancic, Pueblo East, 4A Southern Regional, 80; Megan McCutcheon, Lewis Palmer, 4A Colorado Springs Regional, 84.

2013 Regional Team Champions — Arapahoe (5A Metro-East Regional); Dakota Ridge (5A Metro-West Regional); Fairview (5A Northern Regional); Central of Grand Junction (5A Colorado Springs Regional); Valor Christian (4A Metro-West Regional); Estes Park (4A Northern Regional); Pueblo West (4A Southern Regional); Montrose (4A Western Regional); Cheyenne Mountain (4A Colorado Springs Regional).

College Golf Signees in State Tournament Fields — Laura Cohan, Valor Christian (4A), Colorado Christian; Claudia Davis, Arapahoe (5A), University of Colorado; Taylor Dorans, Broomfield (4A), Wyoming; Maggie Geolat, Palmer Ridge (4A), CSU-Pueblo; Tori Glenn, Valor Christian (4A), CU; Megan McCambridge, Fairview (5A), Butler; Kelly Moran, Fairview (5A), William & Mary; Jordan Sunset, Fairview (5A), Northern Colorado; Rachel Sweeney, Mountain Vista (5A), Lewis, Ill.
 

For some high school seniors, the end of the school year brings days jammed full of important events.

Take the case of Rock Canyon senior Allie Johnston. On Monday morning, here were the two things on the agenda for the 2011 CWGA Junior Player of the Year: high school graduation ceremonies and the first day of the state tournament.

Most student-athletes wouldn’t want to miss either event, and despite a tight time frame, Johnston didn’t. After “walking” at commencement at Shea Stadium in Highlands Ranch, she shot a 3-over-par 75 at the 5A state high school tournament and trails co-leaders Shannon Lubar of Chatfield (pictured above) and Hannah Wood of Arapahoe (pictured below) by four strokes.

Johnston, the 2011 CWGA Junior Stroke Play champion, received some cooperation from Rock Canyon school administrators — who moved the start time of graduation from 11 a.m. to 8:30 — and from the CWGA, which accommodated roughly 10 graduation-related requests on Monday.

“I got to school at 7, I walked, exited out the side and came here,” Johnston said. “Graduation started at 8:30 and they had me walk first which was pretty funny because it went ‘Johnston,’ then started with the A’s. They just had me walk, then just keep walking straight out.

“I wanted to be there, and it was cool to be there.”

Though Johnston admits her “mind was not in golf mode,” the future Texas-San Antonio golfer is still in contention for the 5A title — as are quite a few players.

Wood and Lubar were the only two golfers to break par on Monday, firing 1-under-par 71s. Legacy sophomore Sarah Hankins carded an even-par 72. In all, there are 14 players packed from 4 over par to 1 under, including defending champion SeungHa Choi of Overland.

Wood picked a very good time to tie the best round of her young golf career, which left her atop the leaderboard at the halfway point of the 36-hole event.

“This is pretty good,” she said despite a couple of three-putts. “I’m trying to go low but it’s kind of hard.”

Wood has been on a nice roll the last few days. On Sunday, she won a CJGA Spring Series tournament at CommonGround and Kennedy golf courses by three strokes. And she carried that strong play over to Aurora Hills, where she posted four birdies and three bogeys. And she capped off Monday’s round with a 20-foot birdie chip-in on No. 18.

So Wood will be in the final group Tuesday (10:27 a.m.) along with Lubar and Hankins. Coincidentally, she was in the lead group for the final round at state last year, but she doesn’t want a repeat of that performance as she shot a final-day 87 to tie for 10th place.

“I’m kind of nervous,” she said. “It’s kind of nerve-wracking, but I know my game is pretty good. I’ve just got to work on my putting. I might have trouble sleeping tonight.”

Lubar is certainly no stranger to pressure situations on the golf course. A year ago, the University of Denver golf signee qualified and competed in the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

On Monday, the Chatfield golfer moved a step closer to her longtime goal of winning a state high school title by recording three birdies and two bogeys in her round of 71.

“It would mean everything (to win this),” said Lubar, who placed seventh at state last year. “I’ve wanted to win state since I was in seventh grade. I’ve always been working toward it. If I don’t, it’s not the end of the world but it’s something I’d really like to do.

“If I beat the course I beat the girls so I’m going to keep focusing on myself and beat the course.”

In the team competition, 2010 champion Arapahoe holds a two-stroke lead over defending champ Cherry Creek. Arapahoe posted a 4-over-par 220 total for its top three players.

Regis’ Kershisnik Fires 70 to Lead 4A Tourney: Regis Jesuit senior Kathleen Kershisnik, who has finished second, third and fourth in her three previous trips to the state tournament, shot a 3-under-par 70 Monday at Boomerang Golf Links in Greeley to grab a two-stroke lead in the 4A state meet.

Kershisnik made seven birdies in her round on Thursday.

Pueblo South’s Bryce Schroeder, the 2011 runner-up, shares second place at 72 with Broomfield’s Taylor Dorans, who placed sixth at state each of the last two seasons. Jennifer Kupcho of Jefferson Academy is in fourth place at 73.

Regis, which finished third at state last year, holds a 14-stroke lead over Valor Christian at the halfway point of the team competition. Regis posted a 6-over-par 225 total.

Both the 4A and 5A tournament will conclude on Tuesday.

For scores and pairings, CLICK HERE FOR 5A and CLICK HERE FOR 4A.