T h e 2 0 0 7 C o l o r a d o J u n i o r Golf All-Stars
Jack Adolfson Age: 12 A+
Longmont resident Jack Adolfson is a seventh grader at Altona Middle School. He enjoys golf because
it allows him to be outdoors, travel to new places
and make friends from all over the world that
share his passion for the game. Jack finished in
the top five at six CJGA events and tied for second
at the Junior World Qualifier.
Nicholas Allen Age: 15 A+
Dakota Ridge sophomore Nick Allen plays out of
Raccoon Creek GC. The Littleton native tied for
5th place at the CHSAA 5A State Championship.
Nick thrives on the "pressure to hit good shots"
and likes that golf allows a person to play their
own game and not rely on anyone else.
Branden Barron Age: 17
Branden Barron, a senior at Chaparral High School
in Centennial, says his favorite aspect of the game
of golf is chipping. Branden practices regularly at
South Suburban Family Sports Center. His hard
work paid off this season with victories at the
Aurora City Junior Championship and a CJGA
event at Walking Stick. Branden also traveled to
California as a member of the Junior America's
Cup team.
Zahkai Brown Age: 17
Arvada resident Zahkai Brown is a senior at
Pomona High School. He enjoys putting and the
mental focus needed to compete in golf. Zahkai's
hard work and focus led him to a CHSAA 5A State
Championship victory and a win at a PGA Junior
Series Event. He plays out of Indian Tree GC.
Bethany Buchner Age: 16 A+
Loveland High School junior Bethany Buchner
practices at Ptarmigan CC and resides in Loveland.
Bethany qualified for the USGA Girls Junior
Amateur. She also won the Callaway Junior World
Qualifier and was the runner-up at the CHSAA 5A
State Championship. What Bethany enjoys most
about golf is the friendships that come with the
game and the amazing people that she meets.
Wyndham Clark Age: 13
Eighth grader Wyndham Clark attends West Middle
School and lives in Greenwood Village. He took top
honors at the City of Aurora Junior Championship
and was the youngest player to advance to match
play at the CGA Junior Match Play Championship.
Wyndham's favorites aspects of golf include the
competition, challenge and many friendships that
are made.
Brooke Collins Age: 18
Brooke is a resident of Louisville and is a senior at
Monarh High School. When she is not practicing at
her home course, Omni Interlocken GC, she is
busy competing in championships. She placed
first in the CHSAA 5A State Championship and
placed second in both the CWGA Junior Stroke Play
Championship and the CJGA Tournament of
Champions. Her favorite aspects of golf are the
competition and friendships.
Claudia Davis Age: 12
Claudia Davis is in seventh grade at Kent Denver
and lives in Centennial. Claudia says, "the competition in tournaments makes her strive to
become a better player". She participated in 7
CJGA Junior Series Events where she placed in
the top 10 every time. She also took top honors at the 11-12 Junior World Qualifier and the
City of Aurora Junior Championship.
Calvin Dorsey Age: 13
Denver resident Calvin Dorsey attends school at
Kent Denver and plays out of Meridian GC.
Calvin loves to hit a great tee shot on the first
tee to calm his nerves and says, "nothing feels
better than having a good putting round." He
placed in the top five at six events including
wins at Evergreen GC and City Park Nine GC.
Katy Dyachkova Age: 13
An Isaac Newton Middle School eighth-grader,
Katy Dyachkova is a resident of Centennial. She
practices at South Suburban GC and says that
her favorite aspects of golf include her coach,
her friends and the challenge that every round
presents. Katy won three CJGA events and
placed second at the City of Aurora Junior
Championship.
Parker Edens Age: 17
Greeley Central High School junior Parker Edens
is a Greeley resident. He loves "the hours and
hours of hard work and practice he puts in
everyday." When he isn't practicing at Greeley
CC, he is playing competitive golf. He helped
his high school team to a third place finish at
the CHSAA 4A State Championship where he
tied for fifth individually. He also took second at
the CGA Junior Stroke Play Championship.
Ethan Freeman Age: 12 A+
Greenwood Village resident Ethan Freeman is a seventh grader at Kent Denver. He plays out of
Glenmoor GC and enjoys the "mental challenge,
physical exercise and great friends' that he gets
from golf. Ethan took top honors at two CJGA 1113 events and also won the 11-12 Junior World
Qualifier.
Olivia Garard Age: 16
Olivia Garard loves "the fickle nature of golf.”
The Kent Denver junior says that she enjoys "the
way you can go from double to birdie, or from
bad luck to good luck; it keeps you on the tip
of your toes, making you think through every
shot which in turn makes each round different." Her practice at Columbine CC helped her
to a win at the Optimist International Qualifier.
She also placed in the top five at the CWGA Junior
Match Play Championship and the CHSAA 4A State
Championship.
Palmer Giro Age: 13
Palmer is an eighth grader at Preston Junior High
School. The Fort Collins native practices out of
Ptarmigan CC and loves to compete and make
new friends that love golf as much as he does!
Palmer took first at the CJGA event at Haymaker
and tied for second in three others.
CGA Junior
Player of
the Year
Denver resident, Mark
Hubbard is a current member of the San Jose State
University Men's Golf Team.
He enjoys "driving the ball
down the center of the fairway". After intense weight
training, he is hitting the ball
farther than ever and acknowledges that "long drives may not
win tournaments, but
they feel great!" Mark
took top honors at the CGA Junior
Stroke Play Championship and the CGA
Junior Match Play Championship, becoming only the fourth player in CGA history to win both titles in the same year.
Mark Hubbard - 18
Kacey Godwin Age: 9
Denver resident Kacey Godwin is a fourth grader at British Primary School and practices primarily at South Suburban Family Sports Center.
Her hard work led to a first place finish at the
Colorado Junior Open and top five finishes at
seven CJGA 10 & Under events. Kacey's
favorite part of golf is getting to try and beat
her own scores and live her dream.
Kory Harrell Age: 18
An Air Academy High School senior, Kory
Harrell is a Colorado Springs resident that really enjoys competition. His hard work at
Eisenhower GC and his love of competition led
him to a first place finish at the FCWT Ridge at
Castle Pines Open and a tie for fifth at the
CHSAA 5A State Championship. He says golf
has given him the chance to make many great
friends throughout the country.
Jennifer Kempton Age: 12
Littleton resident Jennifer Kempton is in seventh
grade at Euclid Middle School. She "loves the
challenge of playing all kinds of different
courses and trying to play my best while always
having fun." Jennifer played well this season
and took first at Cordillera. She also was the
runner-up at the 11-12 Junior World Qualifier.
She plays out of Lone Tree GC.
Cody Kent Age: 15
Cody Kent is a sophomore at Douglas County
High School and calls Castle Rock home. Cody
thrives on the "pressure of needing to execute
a great shot and the feeling you get when
pulling the shot off." He took first place at the
Denver Country Club Invitational and placed
fourth at the CHSAA 5A State Championship,
helping his team to a second place finish.
Kathleen Kershisnik Age: 13
Kathleen Kershisnik lives in Highlands Ranch and
attends St. Mary's of Littleton where she is in
eighth grade. She won the events at Evergreen
GC and Heather Ridge CC. She also placed in
the top five in two other events. Her favorite
aspect of golf is that you get to meet people
who have common interests. Kathleen also
"loves the competition that golf provides."
CWGA Junior
Player of
the Year
Becca Huffer, a Denver resident and senior at
Littleton High School says
that she likes everything
about golf. She especially
enjoys the "travel opportunities and getting to meet
people from everywhere."
This season, Becca qualified
for the U.S. Women's Amateur
and made the round of
64. Becca also qualified for the USGA Women's Public
Links Championship and the USGA Girls
Junior Amateur Championship where she also made the round of 64. She
was also victorious locally, winning the CJGA Tournament of Champions.
Becca keeps her game competitive by practicing at Overland GC.
Becca Huffer - 17
Elizabeth Kresock Age: 16 A+
Denver resident and Colorado Academy junior
Elizabeth Kresock plays out of Pinehurst CC.
She is the 2007 CWGA Junior Stroke Play
Champion and was a runner-up at the CHSAA
4A State Championship and the Big "I" State
Championship. She also had the opportunity
to play in the First Tee Coca-Cola Champions
Challenge with Craig Stadler.
Jennifer Kupcho Age: 10
Fifth grader Jennifer Kupcho attends Belleview
Christian Academy and lives in Westminster. She
practices at Legacy Ridge GC and enjoys "meeting new friends from all different countries,
playing golf with my family and friends, and
collecting ball markers from new courses."
Jennifer had four first place finishes and tied for
first in two other CJGA 10 & Under events.
Shinwoo Lee Age: 13
Aurora resident Shinwoo Lee attends Campus
Middle School as an eighth grader. She works
on her game at Aurora Hills GC and says that
her favorite aspect of golf is when she hits her
driver straight. Her hard work and straight
drives led to two first and two second place
finishes this season.
Melissa Martin Age: 18
Central High School senior Melissa Martin
enjoys the fact that "every time I play, I learn
more about myself, and am able to challenge
myself differently with every shot. Plus, I
have met fantastic people and have developed valuable friendships." The Grand
Junction resident practices regularly at
Bookcliff CC. Melissa earned wins at the
CWGA Junior Match Play Championship and
PGA Westfield State Championship. She also
placed second in four other events in 2007.
Sydney Merchant Age: 9
Sydney Merchant is a fourth grader at Red Rocks
Elementary School and lives in Morrison.
Sydney practices at Red Rocks CC and her hard
work paid off this season. She placed in the
top ten of every CJGA event she played in,
including a win at Boulder CC. Sydney says
her favorite part about golf is driving.
AJ Ott Age: 10
Fort Collins resident AJ Ott attends Kruse
Elementary as a fourth grader. What he loves
most about golf is "having fun with my friends
and family. I also like to practice hard to
achieve my goals and to do my best." AJ's practice at Ptarmigan CC led to a winning season.
He placed in the top five in eight CJGA 10 &
Under events, including two first place finishes.
Samuel Rock Age: 14 A+
Eighth grader Samuel Rock lives in Superior and
attends Monarch K-8. He works on his game at
Coal Creek GC and says his favorite part of golf
is the competition, "trying to make my next
stroke the best, and improving my game...and
beating my dad!" Samuel took top honors in
the event at Mountain Vista Greens GC and tied
for second in three other CJGA events.
Tracy Saracino Age: 17 A+
Cherry Creek High School senior and Englewood
resident Tracy Saracino loves the challenge of
golf. She practices at South Suburban GC and
enjoys "competing against the golf courses and
trying to better my score each time." Tracy
earned a second place finish at the Bob Kelley
Memorial and advanced to the semifinal round
at the CWGA Junior Match Play Championship.
Beau Schoolcraft Age: 17
Beau Schoolcraft is a senior at Kent Denver and
resides in Cherry Hills Village. He is a member
at Cherry Hills CC and enjoys being outdoors
and playing golf with family and friends. Beau's
first place finish at the CHSAA 4A State
Championship contributed to his team's second consecutive state title. He also qualified
for the USGA Boys Junior Amateur and won the
CJGA Tournament of Champions.
Matthew Schovee Age: 17
Cherry Hills Village resident Matthew Schovee is
a senior at Kent Denver. He enjoys "practicing
to get better" and works on his game at Cherry
Hills CC. He also loves competition and it
showed when he placed second at the CHSAA
4A State Championship and helped his team
defend their state title. Matthew also traveled to
California as a member of the Junior America's
Cup team.
Joseph Schwark Age: 17
Joseph Schwark is a resident of Westminster and
a senior at Broomfield High School. He works
on his game at the Broadlands GC and enjoys
"playing under pressure and getting to play different courses in tournaments." Joseph took
top honors at the Big "I" State Championship
and the Dave Askins Two-Player Team
Championship.
Paige Spiranac Age: 14
Freshman Paige Spiranac attends the Mesa
Distance Learning Program and resides in
Monument. Her favorite aspect of golf is getting to meet amazing people, both on and off
the course. She practices at The Club at Flying
Horse, which led to four first place finishes
including a win at the Denver Country Club
Invitational.
Jake Staiano Age: 11
Jake Staiano is in fifth grade at Cherry Hills Village
Elementary School. He lives in Cherry Hills
Village and practices regularly at Glenmoor CC.
Jake had three first place finished in CJGA 10 &
Under events and a tie for first at the Colorado
Junior Open. He loves "setting new goals on
driving, putting and chipping...basically loves it
all!"
Kylee Sullivan Age: 10
Fifth grader Kylee Sullivan attends Cheyenne
Mountain Elementary and resides in Colorado
Springs. She had a winning season in 2007
claiming top honors at three CJGA 10 & Under
events and tying for first in another. She practices
at Cherokee Ridge GC and says her favorite
aspects of golf are "competing, meeting new people and chipping."
Mitchell Tucker Age: 9
Lone Tree resident Mitchell Tucker is a fourth grader at Eagleridge Elementary. He works on his
game at Lone Tree GC and says golf is really fun.
He loves playing different courses and making
new friends. His season included a win at the
Boulder CC and nine other top ten finishes in
CJGA 10 & Under events.
Nick Umholtz Age: 16 A+
Greeley Central junior Nick Umholtz plays out of
Greeley CC. His favorite part of golf is the head-tohead competition. His love of competition led
him to wins at the Callaway Junior World Qualifier
and the Optimist International Qualifier. Nick
also placed in the top five at the CHSAA 4A State
Championship.
Danielle Urman Age: 12
Danielle Urman attends West Middle School as a
seventh grader. She lives in Greenwood Village
and practices out of Meridian GC. Danielle placed
in the top five in nine events this season including
a victory at City Park Nine. The things she enjoys
most about golf are "being with my friends, competition and meeting new people." Danielle also
like that golf teaches you to be self-reliant.
Chris Weinstein Age: 12
Seventh grader Chris Weinstein attends St. Thomas
More School and lives in Highlands Ranch. He took
top honors in a junior series event at Cordillera and
had three second place finishes during the 2007
season. He enjoys golf because it "is a sport that I
can play with my family and friends. Everyday is a
new challenge for me to play better and compete
against the best players in golf."
Tyler Zhang Age: 8
A Lone Tree resident and second grader at Acres
Green Elementary, Tyler Zhang likes everything
about golf. Most of all, Tyler says that he
"enjoys spending time with his dad on different
courses and learning how to play better golf."
He practices at South Suburban Family Sports
Center, which led to wins at Kennedy GC and
Cordillera Short Course, as well as two second
place finishes in 10 & Under events.
A+ denotes Academic All-Star