Colby Hutton was among the go-to guys for Bishop Gorman’s boys golf team all season, so it was no surprise when he was the center of attention heading into the day’s final hole Wednesday.
Trailing two-time defending champion Coronado by one stroke in the team standings of the 5A boys state golf championship at Boulder Creek, Gorman needed a gutsy performance from its top senior.
He did not disappoint. Hutton had a strong tee shot and nailed a 15-foot putt for birdie on 18, securing Gorman’s first championship since 2023 while also claiming the individual title.
“In my nine years of coaching, this was the most exciting finish I’ve ever seen,” Gorman coach Dusty Allen said. “It was electric.”
Hutton’s 1-under 71 Wednesday gave him a two-day total of 141, good for a two-stroke win over second-place finishers Tripp Hildreth of Palo Verde and Zach Petersen of McQueen. Coronado’s Elijah Marshall, Gorman’s Colton Rubenstein and Desert Oasis’ Jacob Czerniawski tied for fourth at 145.
Although the Cougars beat the Gaels by 13 strokes in the regional match last week at Mountain Falls, Allen had a good feeling about having Hutton on the course in the last group of the day.
“Colby was also in the final group two years ago when we lost (to Coronado) by one shot,” the coach said. “He did not have a good day. So he kept that scorecard on his nightstand to remind him that if he ever got another shot at that opportunity, things were going to be different. He came up big today, and that’s the stuff legends are made of.”
The Gaels’ final team score was 589, while Coronado finished at 590 and Palo Verde shot 606 for third place.
Gorman’s other scoring golfers were Rubenstein, Scott Boschee (153/16th place) and Madsen Walters (154/17th place).
3A state boys golf championship
Also at Boulder Creek, Elko’s Jack Marma and Churchill County’s Dierks Hammon finished with a two-day total of 149 to finish at the top of the individual leaderboard, while Boulder City’s Brayden Alvarado shot 150 to finish third.
Elko shot a two-day 641 to win the team title, followed by Virgin Valley (663) and Lowry (667).
Contact Jeff Wollard at jwollard@reviewjournal.com.
