Cedar High School wins 4A girls golf state championship

CEDAR CITY — The Cedar High School girls golf team won its first-ever state championship on Thursday, coming from behind to win the two-day 4A tournament by five strokes at TalonsCove Golf Course in Saratoga Springs.

Cedar High’s players (L-R: Denym Bohn, Breelle Evans, Rachel Blodgett, RaeLee Johnson, Taylyn Wilson and Calli Huff) celebrate following the 4A state tournament at TalonsCove, Saratoga Springs, Utah, May 9, 2024 | Photo by Devin Dixon, St. George News

The Reds had trailed Region 9 rival Crimson Cliffs by 13 strokes following Wednesday’s first round. Cedar’s top four players combined to shoot 59 strokes over par on Wednesday, putting them in third place, while Crimson Cliffs finished Day 1 in first place at 46 over and Green Canyon sat in second place at 52 over.

Cedar head coach Laycee Johnson said she told her players that morning, “You battle, and it’s not over!”

Johnson said her players were fully on board with the team’s season motto of “elite,” which she said represented having confidence, being positive and believing. 

“That’s what I told those girls this morning,” she said. “I said, ‘We’re going to be elite and we’re going to go and we’re gonna be confident in every swing.’ And they did exactly what I told them to do.”

During Thursday’s round, Cedar’s top four players all shot in the 80s as the Reds shot 12 strokes better than they had the day before.

The Reds were paced by senior RaeLee Johnson’s 80, with junior Taylyn Wilson shooting and 82 and sophomore Breelle Evans scoring 84 for the second day in a row.

In Cedar’s No. 4 scoring spot was junior Denym Bohn, who fired an 89 on Thursday, a nine-stroke improvement from the previous day.

Kate Walker of Crimson Cliffs walks off the 18th green on the second day of the 4A state tournament at TalonsCove, Saratoga Springs, Utah, May 9, 2024 | Photo courtesy of Jason Walker, St. George News

That left Cedar with a team score of 335 on Day 2, putting them four strokes ahead of Green Canyon and five ahead of Crimson Cliffs, which just missed the runner-up trophy by one stroke.

Crimson Cliffs was led by sophomore Kate Walker, who won top individual medalist honors at state for the second year in a row. Walker shot a blistering 7-under 65 on Wednesday, followed by a 5-over score of 77 on Thursday to finish with a 2-under total of 142. Walker, who made a total of six birdies and one eagle, was the only golfer to finish under par.

“I was just hoping to stay in the red and finish in the red,” Walker said after Thursday’s round. 

“Today was rough. Definitely, the weather was worse, and I don’t know, my drives were so bad, and no putts were going in,” she said. “I think it’s hard to come back from your very best round and then come back the next day and be anywhere close.”

Also placing among the top 10 individual scores for Crimson Cliffs were junior Brynlee Bandley, who shot 78-85-168, and senior Lexi Leavitt, who shot 83-82-165.

Other Region 9 golfers who placed among the top 10 were Pine View senior Alyssa Butterfus, who placed third with a score of 74-81-155, and Dixie senior Stacie Phelps, who tied for seventh with an 83-82-155.

To see complete official results, click here. 

Rounding out Cedar’s six-player roster at state were senior Rachel Blodgett and junior Calli Huff.

Johnson said she believed in her players all season long.

“They battled so hard today. I’m so proud of them,” the coach said. “This has been a dream team. They are so awesome and they deserve it.”

Shortly after 8:30 p.m. Thursday Cedar’s coaches and players were treated to a celebratory fire truck ride down Main Street. When the procession arrived at Cedar High School, the players were singing “We Are the Champions” as the crowd of supporters cheered and filmed with their phones.

4A girls high school state championship

TalonsCove, Saratoga Springs, May 8-9, 2024

Top 5 team scores

Cedar, 347-335, 682 (+106).
Green Canyon, 340-346, 686 (+110).
Crimson Cliffs, 334-353, 687 (+111)
Ridgeline, 371-345, 716 (+140).
Dixie, 362-373, 735 (+159)

Top 10 individual scores

Kate Walker, Crimson Cliffs, 65-77, 142 (-2).
Kaylee Westfall, Orem, 77-76, 153 (+9)
Alyssa Butterfus, Pine View, 74-81, 155 (+11)
Avery Parker, Green Canyon, 77-79, 156 (+12)
Taylyn Wilson, Cedar, 80-82, 162 (+18)
Brynlee Bandley, Crimson Cliffs, 78-85, 163 (+19)
(tie) Stacie Phelps, Dixie, 83-82, 165 (+21)
(tie) Lexie Leavitt, Crimson Cliffs, 83-82, 165 (+21)
(tie) RaeLee Johnson, Cedar, 85-80, 165 (+21)
(tie) Randee Tormondsen, Stansbury, 81-85, 166 (+22)
(tie) Tylee Bennett, Bear River, 83-83, 166 (+22)

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