BOULDER CREEK — Colby Hutton had kept a scorecard from two years ago on his nightstand, a reminder of the one-stroke loss to Coronado in the 5A state championship. On Wednesday, he erased that memory with a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win both the individual and team titles for Bishop Gorman.
Hutton shot a 1-under 71 in the final round at Boulder Creek, posting a two-day total of 141. That was two strokes better than Tripp Hildreth of Palo Verde and Zach Petersen of McQueen, who tied for second. The Gaels’ team score of 589 edged two-time defending champion Coronado by one stroke, with Palo Verde third at 606.
“In my nine years of coaching, this was the most exciting finish I’ve ever seen,” Gorman coach Dusty Allen said. “It was electric.”
Gorman trailed Coronado by one stroke entering the 18th hole. Hutton’s strong tee shot and his clutch putt secured the program’s first championship since 2023. “Colby was also in the final group two years ago when we lost (to Coronado) by one shot,” Allen said. “He did not have a good day. So he kept that scorecard on his nightstand to remind him that if he ever got another shot at that opportunity, things were going to be different. He came up big today, and that’s the stuff legends are made of.”
Coronado had beaten Gorman by 13 strokes in the regional match last week at Mountain Falls. But Allen liked having Hutton in the final group. Other scoring golfers for Gorman included Colton Rubenstein, Scott Boschee (153, 16th place) and Madsen Walters (154, 17th place). Coronado’s Elijah Marshall, Rubenstein and Desert Oasis’ Jacob Czerniawski tied for fourth at 145.
3A boys state golf
In the 3A tournament, also at Boulder Creek, Elko’s Jack Marma and Churchill County’s Dierks Hammon finished with a two-day total of 149 to tie for the individual title. Boulder City’s Brayden Alvarado was third at 150. Elko won the team championship with a 641, followed by Virgin Valley (663) and Lowry (667).
