Pine Creek's Krueger settles for fourth place in 5A golf

AURORA • Ben Krueger forced a smile while accepting All-State accolades after tying for fourth place Tuesday at the 5A state golf tournament.

“I’m pretty disappointed right now,” the Pine Creek senior said. “I hit a lot of really good shots, but just couldn’t make a putt.”

That was the story for most of the 84 golfers that were tested by Saddle Rock Golf Course over two days and 36 holes.

Check out a photo gallery from the event.

“This course gets you on the greens,” said Air Academy junior Cam Harrell, who tied for ninth but three-putted eight times. “You almost never get a straight putt. I hit it good enough to give myself a chance but just didn’t putt well.”

Harrell, the Metro League champion, earned All-State honors with his top 10 finish after taking fifth last year. Krueger, the Metro runner-up, was eight shots behind state champion Caleb Barker, a junior from Highlands Ranch.
Barker shot 70-73 for 1-under-par, five shots better than Douglas County’s Cody Kent (75-73). Mountain Range’s Clay LaBrec (76-73) was third.

Douglas County (457) won the team title with Pine Creek (484) eighth among the 12 qualifiers.

Krueger (74-77) fared better than senior teammate Mike Vogelsong (74-85).

“I lost my swing,” Vogelsong said sadly. “I started missing my driver left and right.”

The Pine Creek pair was tied for second with Overland’s Jonathan Park after the first round. Park played with Krueger and Barker in the final group and tied for fourth.

“For us, it was disappointing as a team and as individuals,” Pine Creek coach Dick Castle said. “Ben and Mike were excited about their position after the first round and hoped to be in the hunt to the end.

“But we won the league and got second at regional and not many teams do that. I’m proud of our kids.”

Fountain-Fort Carson senior Sam Jorgensen (80-79) and Air Academy junior Tyler Steigerwald (77-82) tied with Vogelsong for 24th at 159.

Other local scores included Liberty senior Nathan Lark (164), Doherty senior Marcus Anderson (170), Pine Creek senior Beau Bajza (174) and freshman Garrett Frye (176), and Palmer freshman Colin Prater (178).