The mental aspects of the game of golf are already challenging enough. Add the pressure of being a defending state champion and that makes each shot of every round that much more of a process.
Highlands Ranch senior Caleb Barker (Class 5A), Valor Christian junior Wyndham Clark (4A) and Alexander Dawson junior Peter Hassan (3A) will carry that prestigious burden into their season, which gets underway today across the state.
“The percentages just aren’t with a player who goes in as a defending champion. Things are just different,” said Caleb’s father and Highlands Ranch coach James Barker. “Everybody has had a year to get better, but if you play smart and have things go your way, it can be done. There are 10 or 15 other guys that can get it done too.”
Caleb Barker heads a Highlands Ranch team the elder Barker calls the best since the 2005 squad that sent Derek O’Neil to Colorado and Aaron Weston to Colorado State. Juniors Turner Klein and Blake Basham and sophomore Eric Hallberg (son of former PGA professional Gary Hallberg) give the Falcons a team that can go extremely low on any given day.
“It’s a talented and fun-loving bunch,” said James Barker, whose has a 1,200-square foot putting green and bunker in his backyard. “I just don’t need to mess them up.”
Said Caleb Barker: “If we don’t win it all, we should all just pack our bags and go home.”
The Falcons’ bags were nearly packed prematurely earlier this year, when the younger Barker broke his hand wrestling with another teammate.
The break has healed. After the cast came off, Barker picked up right where he left off and has had a summer of AJGA events to prep for the high school season.
“It’s 100 percent,” said Caleb Barker, who understands the team aspect of a typically individual sport. “Winning a team state title would cap everything off perfectly. Winning another individual title wouldn’t be bad either.”
In Class 4A, Valor Christian was under par as a team last year, led by Clark and his two-shot victory over Montrose’s Drew Trujillo. Clark may have all eyes on him yet again this season, but Valor coach Jason Preeo is likely to get his fair share of handshakes and congrats after qualifying for the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in July.
In Class 3A, home-course advantage will play a big factor in challenging classification stalwart Kent Denver. Eaton plays host this year, and hopes, as Cougar Canyon did for Trinidad last season, Eaton Country Club will play to their favor this time around.
“It can only help,” said Eaton coach Gino Maio, who like Kent Denver and Trinidad returns all four players from a team that finished fourth a season ago. “If there is a year that we have a chance to win it, this would be it.”
Jon E. Yunt: 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com
Boys golf
IMPORTANT DATES
Season starts: Today
Regional tournaments: Sept. 20-24
State tournaments: Oct. 4-5 — Class 5A: Valley CC, Aurora (defending team champion: Douglas Co.); Class 4A: Flying Horse GC, Colorado Springs (Valor Christian); Class 3A: Eaton CC (Kent Denver)
CLASS 5A TOP 3
1. Regis Jesuit
2. Highlands Ranch
3. Cherry Creek
RETURNING ALL-STATE PLAYERS
Caleb Barker, Highlands Ranch, Sr. (defending champion); Derek Despres, Ponderosa, Sr.; Tyler Engel, Regis Jesuit, Sr.; Cameron Harrell, Air Academy, Sr.; T.J. Lovato, Mountain Range, Sr.; Zach Tripp, Dakota Ridge, Sr.; Taylor Wild, Douglas County, Sr.
CLASS 4A TOP 3
1. Valor Christian
2. D’Evelyn
3. Cheyenne Mountain
RETURNING ALL-STATE PLAYERS
John Ahern, D’Evelyn, Sr.; Wyndham Clark, Valor Christian, Jr. (defending champion); Kyle Gertner, Sterling, Sr.; Sam Phillips, D’Evelyn, Sr.; Drew Trujillo, Montrose, Sr.; Chris Winter, Wasson, Sr.
CLASS 3A TOP 3
1. Kent Denver
2. Trinidad
3. Eaton
RETURNING ALL-STATE PLAYERS
Andrew Cornella, St. Mary’s, Sr.; Peter Hassan, Alexander Dawson, Jr. (defending champ); Ethan Freeman, Kent Denver, So.; Adam Griffith, Peak to Peak, Jr.; Carson Joens, Estes Park, Sr.; Jason Lehigh, Kent Denver, Sr.; Connor Morgan, Kent Denver, Sr.; Garrett Schrepfer, Trinidad, Jr.
