Lovell’s Cook and Riverton’s Paxton Etch Their Names into Wyoming State Golf History

For the fourth straight year, Lovell’s Erika Cook and Riverton’s Parker Paxton are 3A Golf State Champions.

The duo became the third girl and third boy to win four consecutive individual state golf titles in the history of Wyoming High School Golf. They accomplished the feat at Green Hills Golf Club in Worland.

Cook overcame a one-shot deficit entering the final round. After a first-round 78 on Friday, the senior fired a 72 on Saturday for a five-shot victory. Cook’s two-day total was 150.

She joins Buffalo’s Mardi Johnson (1991-94) and Lusk’s Whitney Coon (2003-06) as the only girls’ golfers to 4-peat at the prep level.

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Paxton held on for a two-shot victory in the boys’ field. He shot 68 in the opening round and held a one-stroke lead. Paxton came back with a 65 on Saturday for a two-day total of 133.

He joins his older brother, Easton Paxton (2013-16), and Hardy Johnson of Thermopolis (2018-21) as the only boys’ golfers to 4-peat in state history.

Paxton’s victory helped the Riverton Wolverines three-peat as the 3A boys’ team champions. They shot a two-day total of 606 and took the team trophy by 14 shots. The Wolverines placed three in the top eight. Evanston was second and Wheatland came in third in the boys’ team standings.

The Wheatland Lobos won their third straight girls’ 3A team crown by 33 shots. They had three golfers finish in the top nine. Evanston and Riverton were second and third in the team race.

Individually, for the girls, Isabell Salas from Green River was the runner-up. Wheatland’s Lily Nichols and Macy Jones were third and fourth. Adelie Hall of Cody took fifth place.

For the boys, Ryker Lind of Evaston was second. Tate Nichols of Wheatland, Brodie Dale from Riverton, and Pinedale’s Brody Hamby round out the top five.

CLASS 4A

In Class 4A, two first-time winners highlight the medalists at the Powder Horn Golf Club in Sheridan.

Natrona County’s Cheyenne Ward placed first for the girls’ title. She shot rounds of 82 and 83 for a two-day total of 165. That was good for a one-stroke victory.

Ward was followed by Sheridan’s Gabi Wright and Shelbi Gardner. Madie Griffin of Kelly Walsh and Maggie Teague of NC were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Sheridan won the girls’ team crown with a strong second day. They won by 17 shots. Natrona County took second, and Kelly Walsh was third.

In the boys’ division, Daniel Meyers of Cheyenne East topped the field for his first state championship. He had rounds of 77 and 74 for a total of 151. Meyers’ victory helped Cheyenne East win the team title, as well. The Thunderbirds had two more golfers place in the top eight. Jackson and Kelly Walsh were second and third in the team standings.

Jackson’s Joey McNamara came in second place, one shot back. Defending champion Josh Lane of Kelly Walsh was third, followed by Nash Coleman of Cheyenne East. There was a three-way tie for fifth between Jackson Evans (Campbell County), Bodie Williams (Thunder Basin), and Garrett Spielman (Sheridan).

CLASS 2A

Finally, in Class 2A, a playoff decided the girls’ champion. Savanah Peterson of Sundance won her first state title after tying with Upton’s Ciarra Moore at 194. Peterson took the medalist crown on the first playoff hole.

Ten Sleep’s Kelsie Griffin was third. She was followed by Tongue River’s Baylie May and Lilly Johnson of Thermopolis in the top five.

Thermopolis rallied to take the team title by one shot over Sundance. Wright finished in third.

For the boys, Logan Timberman of Upton won his first state championship. He has the most dominating victory of the weekend, 18 shots, after a two-day 152 total. Timberman fired a 69 in the final round at the Newcastle Country Club.

He led the Bobcats to their first team title, as well. They won the 2A boys by 95 shots over Kemmerer. Tongue River came in third.

The rest of the individual top five was Braxton Tremain of Tongue River in second. Upton’s Bridger Bruce placed third. Kemmerer’s Austin Christen and Hayden Overfield of Thermopolis took fourth and fifth.