Fore! Mustangs headed to state play in Montrose

They’re in!

They didn’t play as well as they wanted, they didn’t light up the course as they have done for much of 2019 and they had a last-minute substitution, but no matter.

They’re in.

On Wednesday, Mullen boys handled city golf on a nearby municipal track to qualify for next month’s Class 4A state tournament. The Mustangs took second place as a team in 4A Region 4 in qualifying four players at Overland Golf Course.

Their ‘A’ game wasn’t there, but that’s OK, said head coach Jerry Koehler.

“That’s right,” he said. “I always say ‘You don’t have to win it; you just have to get in.’ And they did.”

On a Denver course that has a new opening hole after serving as a concert venue the past summer, the Mustangs totaled 15-over-par 231 to finish runner-up to two-time defending state champion and current nemesis Montrose (3-over 219), which also will host the state tournament Oct. 6-7.

Tops for Mullen was junior Rhett Johnson, who shot 40-35—75. He tied for fourth. Senior Cole Reister, who only recently was given a playoff spot, took advantage and was next at 39-38--77 to tie for sixth. Junior Mario Dino turned in 38-41--79, which tied him eighth, and senior Eli Marquez (40-41—81, tied for 13th) didn’t figure in the team scoring, but he advanced, the theme of Mustangs’ post-round comments.

“It was bad,” Dino said of his 79. “This is a course I play a lot and the greens were really fast, they rolled out … it was really confusing, but I qualified.”

Johnson said he started strongly, then lost it, then got it back by “birdieing two of my last three holes, but, exactly, all I was trying to do was make state. It would have been nice to win it, but you just have to get in.”

Marquez, perhaps Mullen’s most-improved golfer, said “81 today and I had a rough start, but I made it … it will be my first time at state. I’m excited and happy I made it.”

Reister was in the most-interesting situation. He hadn’t qualified for the postseason, but earned a spot after another teammate left school. Reister called it bittersweet and his goal is to take advantage of the opportunity.

“I mean, it’s a tough situation, of course … but I just tried to come out here and help the team,” Reister said.

Koehler appreciated it: “He’s lucky he has a second life here.”

Montrose also earned the medalist – senior Micah Stangebye, who won in a playoff after shooting even-par during regulation.