Most of Montezuma-Cortez High Schools sports programs compete in the Southwestern League.
The leagues boys golf coaches got together and decided make the two-day Durango Invitational a championship Monday and Tuesday.
Last year, M-CHS came up just short of winning the two rounds at Hillcrest and Dalton Ranch Golf Clubs.
This year was a different story.
The Panthers dominated against 5A Fruita Monument, Grand Junction and Grand Junction Central, and 4A Western Slope Region foes Montrose and host Durango.
Jakob Rudosky led M-CHS, taking home top medalist honors after he out-dueled Grand Junctions Greg Gibson on Tuesday. The two tied atop the leader board with a 73 Monday. On Tuesday, Gibson double bogeyed the 18th hole to finish at 77, one stoke behind Rudoskys 76.
Rudoskys win gave him a two-day total of 149 to Gibsons 150.
It was a battle from the first hole to the last, Rudosky told the Durango Herald.
Winning at Dalton Ranch was certainly satisfying, as it was perhaps the most challenging course Rudosky has played the season.
The pin placements were in some of the hardest spots Ive seen all year, he told the Herald. If you miss the green, you end up in hazards.
The Panthers shot 227 as a team Monday at Hillcrest and came away with 238 at Dalton Ranch for a winning two-day total of 465.
They played really well. The courses theyve played on quite a bit and they know really well. They were confident going in, said M-CHS athletic director Jimmie Lankford, who coached the team while head coach Micah Rudosky was playing at a professional golf tournament. Jakob struggled the first part of Monday, but he eagled No. 17 to kind of turn around. From that point on, he played really well.
Sophomore Hayden Plewe placed fourth in the tourney shooting 76 and 79 (155). Senior Keith Hawkins shot 78 and 83 (161). Levi Gross and Ryan Aiken shot 89 and 99 Tuesday.
Fruita Monument was the runner-up at 476 followed by Grand Junction and Montrose tying at 478. Durango placed fifth with a total of 489 and Grand Junction Central recorded a score of 515.
Now that the regular season has concluded, the focus shifts to Cortez. Conquistador Golf Course is the host site of the 4A Western Slope Regionals set for next Monday (practice round) and Tuesday.
The Panthers are seeking a regional championship 3-peat and a trip back to state.
I think it recognizes what our golf team has done the last couple years. For them to come play here, this is one of those things its because were playing so well, said Lankford about hosting regionals. I think our coaches have done great with the program and thats why people wanted us to host, and our golf course is highly regarded. Were excited to host. With state being on this side of the hill (in Montrose), thats exciting, too.
With Hawkins being the only senior, M-CHS golf appears to keep going strong.
Thats pretty exciting. With him (Plewe) being a sophomore and Jakob being a junior, that speaks really well for next year. Theyre sitting pretty well for regionals, Lankford said.
Many of the 4A Western Slope teams traveled to Cortez to compete in the M-CHS Invitational on Aug. 22. The Panthers won the 13-school tournament.
Official regional play tees off Tuesday at 9 a.m. at Conquistador Golf Course.
