Local golf athletes earn All-State honors
Eight Monticello High School golfers earned All-State honors for the 2024 spring season, based on their performances and led by a state runners-up performance for the girls team.
The San Juan Record is proud to present these honorees along with photos and comments from their coach. All-State baseball and softball teams will appear in the June 26 issue of the paper.
Alise Lewis
Girls First Team Monticello Junior
State Runner-up
93-stroke season average
Head Coach Nathan Chamberlain: “Alise began this year in the number one position on our team and in the region. Alise is a natural leader and she truly lead by example throughout this season. Dedicated during practice and while playing on her own, Alise invested the time this season to stay on top of the region. Her work ethic proved to be enough during region play. Her play during pre-season practice made it clear Alise had spent time in the offseason improving from her sophomore year where she finished third behind her sister Amy and teammate Cambree Chamberlain.
“Alise’s natural athletic ability and determination were a great asset to our team this season. Her range of scores was only nine strokes with her season-low 88 coming in the first match at the Carbon Country Club. She ended the season with a region average of 93. Another accomplishment for Alise this season was that she scored below 100 strokes in all her matches. She played well throughout the year and maintained her positive attitude…for the most part. Alise finished in second place at the state tournament with a 94.”
Cambree Chamberlain
Girls First Team Monticello Junior
State Third place
98-stroke season average
Head Coach Nathan Chamberlain: “After flying under the radar with a great season last year, Cambree was the most consistent player on this season’s team in many aspects – scores, practice time, effort during practice, and overall positivity.
“Her low score of the season was the first match at Carbon County. Cambree helped with the installation of the putting green in the Dungeon where Tic-Tac-Toe was used to help practice putting distances. She also spent some Saturday mornings at Doug’s in the offseason playing courses on the simulator.
“Cambree is willing to help the other golfers with both fundamentals and maintaining a positive attitude throughout the round. She is the team cheerleader, always supporting others to do their best. Also, since her father is her coach, Cambree gets volunteered for many of the less-appealing tasks in support of the team.
“She was required to stay later and many times functioned as the team guinea pig. Cambree finished the season with an average score of 98. She shot a 97 at the state tournament to finish in third place.”
Traken Lee
Boys First Team Monticello Junior
State Fifth place
80-stroke season average
Head Coach Nathan Chamberlain: “Traken has spent many hours at the course playing and asking for advice form those he golfs with. He is one of the few golfers who play competitive golf throughout the summer and not just during the high school season. Traken’s inner drive to become better showed in his scores throughout this past season. He shot a region-low score of 83 in the first round of the year in Moab.
“He shot below 80 in four of the seven matches he played. His best round of the year was here at the Hideout where he carded a 76. Traken would golf during the day before practice and after practice he would play another nine or 18 depending on the light left in the day. During region play Traken and Darrin Westcott played almost identically as they alternated weeks at the top of the region standings. At state Traken began the first day a bit rough to finish plus-16 in a disappointing start to the tournament.
“On day two he played just one stroke behind the state champion’s second day. He ultimately finished in fifth place with a two-day total of 169, just seven strokes off the leader. It’s hard to mention Traken without also mentioning Darrin somewhere in the conversation. As a coaching staff we had hoped the relationship between the two boys would elevate both of them in their academic pursuits and their golfing careers. The jury is still out on just what lessons have been taught or learned with these two players.”
Alli Young
Girls First Team Monticello Junior
State eighth place (tie)
99-stroke season average
Head Coach Nathan Chamberlain: “Alli is the longest player on the team off the tee. She has invested time taking lessons and trying to better herself. She is very athletic and uses her natural abilities to further her game. Alli is the most energetic player on the team. She has been seen running up the fairway after a great drive.
“She has also been known to run across two fairways to let the coaches know just how well she played the last hole or how well she hit the last shot. A few times we misunderstood her running towards us as a bad thing, but she was always positive in sharing her golfing adventures.
“Alli’s low score of the season came here at the Hideout where she has played multiple rounds in a single day during the season. There were days when we would start practice and she would say ‘Oh, I’ve already played 18 today.’ She definitely played more holes than any other girl on our team. Alli scored the second-lowest score on the team this year with a 91 here at the Hideout. At the state tournament she tied for 8th place with a 104.”
Darrin Westcott
Boys Second Team Monticello Senior
State 13th place (tie)
81-stroke season average
Head Coach Nathan Chamberlain: “Having golfed all four years of his high school career, I have learned a lot from Darrin. High school golf does not include a motor in any way, shape, or form. For Darrin this was something totally new. I believe his first 18-hole score in a competitive round was a 148 in Moab his freshman year. At the match in Carbon, he and Traken Lee both shot a 77, his personal best in his high school career.
“Persistent is a word I would use to describe Darrin. There were days in the offseason where he would ask if he could come in and practice on the simulator. He was always willing to help others and become better. Darrin finished less than one stroke behind Traken for individual honors at the region level. At the state tournament Darrin shot a 91 to rest in 11th place after day one. Unfortunately he couldn’t quite get in his groove on day two and finished with a two-day total of 212, tied for 13th. Hard work and commitment to anything you choose to do will make you successful at whatever you put your mind to. Darrin exemplified that in his golf career.”
Jackson Keyes
Boys Honorable Mention Monticello Junior
State 20th place
97-stroke season average
Head Coach Nathan Chamberlain: “As a sophomore playing two sports that both require a great deal of commitment, Jackson continued to help our team rise to the top in the state rankings. Jackson started this season with a 107 in Moab. After that his scores stayed below the century mark all season.
“His low score of 90 at Carbon helped boost the team’s excitement level and gave us hope in competing at the state to close the season. Jackson finished the year with an average of 97, earning the third spot on the team. At the state tournament Jackson had the best improvement in scoring on the team by cutting eight strokes off his day-one score. He finished 20th with a two-day total of 189.”
Kooper Nielson
Boys Honorable Mention Monticello Sophomore
State 21st place
99-stroke season average
Head Coach Nathan Chamberlain: “Another sophomore, Kooper has spent time on the offseason gaining valuable skills in practicing with the simulator and putting surface. Kooper also played two sports and spent additional time after practice working on his game.
“Kooper is a consistent golfer in that he never gets too excited over a great shot and, better yet, doesn’t throw in the towel when things don’t go as planned, as they seldom do in high school golf.
“Kooper and Jackson Keyes had their own competition, jockeying for third and fourth on the team much like Traken and Darrin above them. Kooper’s low score of the season came at Carbon, where he shot a 91.
“He finished with a season average of 99. At the state tournament he finished 21st, shooting a two-day total of 192. With his desire to continually improve Kooper will no doubt be an asset to the golf program at MHS for the next two years.”
Lilli Burton
Girls Honorable Mention Monticello Junior
State 24th place (tie)
118-stroke season average
Head Coach Nathan Chamberlain: “As a second-year golfer Lilli brought a lot of energy to the team. She gave her best at the state tournament and during our region matches. She opened the season with a score of 132 and improved throughout the season to finish with an average of 120. Her personal best of the year came here at the Hideout when she shot a 108.
“At practice Lilli listened to what we said and implemented our coaching without question. She is a great student and with some offseason practice she will help our team reach new goals next season. Having a little sister on the team has also motivated Lilli to invest the additional time needed to strengthen her game. Lilly shot a 113 at the state tournament which put her in a tie for 24th position.”