By Phil Sandoval

Post Independent Staff

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GRAND JUNCTION – A frigid wind, and a quick-moving cold front made conditions less than ideal, but it didn’t matter to the Glenwood Springs girls golf team.

Concentrating on their shots rather than the inclement weather, the Demons made history at Tuesday’s 4A Western Regional tournament at Tiara Rado Golf Course.

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Glenwood’s combined team score of 300, vaulted the Demons to second-place in the 12-team tournament – the highest team final standings by the Demons in Kathy Whiting’s seven-year tenure as head coach.

Eagle Valley, shot a 272 to win the team regional championship. Rifle finished in ninth-place with a 342, Grand Valley was 11th.

And, as the final individual scores came in, Glenwood’s day got even brighter.

Three Demon golfers – Jacy Reynolds, Kammi Ivie and Amanda Whiting – all shot low enough scores to advance to next week’s 4A state tournament in Colorado Springs.

Reynolds, Glenwood’s No. 1 golfer led the charge. The junior carded a 96 to tie her for sixth-place in the overall individual standings and, more importantly, ensure her a second straight trip to next week’s Class 4A State Tournament in Colorado Springs.

Reynold’s score was quite an accomplishment, considering the conditions the she and the rest of the field faced.

“It was extremely difficult,” she said. “The weather was nice and sunny one minute and bad the next. It was like survival of the fittest out there.”

To survive, Reynolds had to adjust her game accordingly.

“Today it was a game of placement,” she said. “Instead of hitting long irons, I had to hit short irons just to keep the ball safe.”

Whiting, who shot a 102 for a seventh-place tie with Ivie and Cedaredge’s Emma Watson, said the gusts of 30-40 mile-per-hour winds were her biggest problem.

“It was the worst conditions that I’ve ever played in. It was all I could do to keep the ball in the fairway.”

Ivie “wanted to quit every five seconds,” but stuck it out for her first-ever state berth. “It’s exciting to make state,” she said. “Because I never thought I’d be there,” she said.

Rifle’s low rounds came from Trisha Wailes and Jenny Hughes, who both shot 111, six strokes back of the state qualifying mark. Grand Valley’s Nicki Loschke carded a 112 to lead the Cardinals.

The top 10 finishers qualified for the state tournament. The two-day event starts Monday at the Colorado Springs Country Club.

For more results see Scoreboard on page A21.