Cheyenne Mountain's Kemp joins Sullivan in Metro winners' circle

Cheyenne Mountain’s Katherine Kemp became the only female golfer not named Kylee Sullivan to win a Metro League individual medalist title this season.

Kemp’s 79 at the Lady Terrors Invitational at Patty Jewett Golf Course was one stroke better than Palmer Ridge’s Maggie Geolat and two strokes better than Sullivan, Kemp’s teammate, who took third. Mary Kate Nelson and Chelsea Cabanting, both from Pine Creek, tied for fourth at 83.

Cheyenne Mountain won its third team title in as many tournaments with a score of 255, while Pine Creek was tops among Class 5A schools at 271. Palmer Ridge, which is 4A like Cheyenne Mountain, was third overall at 272.

Sullivan had won each of the first two Metro League tournaments, shooting 74 each time. Her lead for the 4A Metro individual championship stands at 12 strokes over Geolat, but those numbers could change greatly since each individual counts only their four best scores in the five-tournament Metro League season.

But Tuesday it was Kemp on center stage.

“I’m really happy with Katherine,” Cheyenne Mountain coach Bill Paulson said. “She finally put it in the 70s and she needs to stay there because she’s got game.”

She showed that game on the back nine, which due to her start position put her on Patty Jewett’s Plains Course. She birdied both par 5s and also the 291-yard, par 4 seventh hole. Her even-par 36 overcame a disappointing front nine on the Peak Course.

“It feels really good just because I’ve worked really hard for it,” Kemp said of the win. “It’s an accomplishment that I’ve finally reached. It’s a really good feeling.”

Sullivan was feeling anything but good despite her top-three finish. While other players crowded around the scoreboard, she was a picture of stony-faced concentration playing ball after ball on the putting green.

“Kylee had her ‘B’ game; I’m trying to console her about that,” Paulson said. “You don’t bring your ‘A’ game every time, but she is a freshman and I think she thinks she does bring her ‘A’ game every time.

“She still shot 81. There are 50 girls here who would die for an 81.”

Kemp said it was that type of uncompromising dedication that makes Sullivan and another teammate, Kelly Kruse (who shot a 95), so endearing.

“I think their focus is contagious,” Kemp said. “It’s nothing they say to you, it’s just being around them and watching them.”

Cheyenne Mountain increased its lead over Palmer Ridge for the Class 4A Metro League title to 44 strokes with two tournaments remaining. With Lewis-Palmer 112 strokes back and in third, it’s become a two-team race with Cheyenne Mountain holding a big advantage.

With Sullivan, Kemp and Kruse all among the league’s top eight cumulative scorers, the Indians’ depth has been their strength. The search for the team’s No. 4 continues.

“One through three we’re really solid,” Paulson said. “We’re not real certain on the fourth spot yet – we have five girls that are pretty close and the next three weeks they’re going to play a lot of holes of golf and we’re going to find out who really is No. 4.

“If you get to the next level and get to the state competition, you need to have four because you never know - anybody could have a bad day. You need those four scores to be solid.”