Elizabeth Kresock's high school golf career was headed down a definite path after two years of competition. The Colorado Academy star had two second-place finishes in the Class 4A state tournament.

That certainly wasn't bad. Being runner-up as a freshman is an accomplishment, especially when the medalist, Kent Denver's Andrea Watts, went on to play for the University of Florida.

Kresock's opening-round 73 at Patty Jewett turned into a more freshman-like 82. Colorado Academy, in second place behind Kent Denver and 13 strokes back, fell to third place.

"I was the only (CA) player who shot a higher score the second day," Kresock said. "I put pressure on myself. That 73, though, I had only shot in the 70s once before."

As a sophomore playing at Highland Meadows, Kresock finished just two strokes out of first place, losing to Maggie Boberg of Mullen. Kresock shot a 74-82.

"That (second round) was probably the worst weather I ever played in," Kresock said. "It started snowing during my round. I would say that I got beat, but I wasn't disappointed with my scores."

It also helped that Colorado Academy won the team title, but the negative part of the pattern was that Kresock was the first-day leader twice and finished second again.

Last year, Kresock rebounded in a big way. Playing at Rolling Hills Country Club, she was in second place this time with a 79. The problem was she trailed Kent Denver's Olivia Garard by a hefty five strokes.

Kresock had three bogeys and a double in the first six holes of that round. The next day, she whizzed around the front at even par and ended as medalist with a 79-71, three strokes better than Garard.

"That experience (from her first two seasons) alone has done wonders for my game," Kresock said. "I do work really hard on my short game and my mental game. I started playing in more competitive tournaments during the summer."

Kresock has joined the Wal-Mart First Tee Open, one of 70 kids who get to play with champion tour players. She got to play Pebble Beach through the First Tee program.

Other interests include AfricAid, a club started by Mustangs alumnus Ashley Shuler, which has provided education funds in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Zambia and also supplies such basic needs as pens and paper.

On the course, Kresock is one of the best playing partners around, keeping up a steady stream of supportive chatter. Any golfer is going to feel better about her game after one round with the Mustangs star.

"If you're on the golf course for over five hours, you've got to have some fun," Kresock said. "There's a difference between talking between shots and during the tense situations, so I don't do it all the time."

Defending the team title will be even tougher, as No. 2 Courtney Engle and No. 3 Hillary Hoffer both graduated after last season. Kresock and Bayley Clarke are the only state-seasoned veterans back this year, and there's plenty of competition from Garard, Chance Forbes of Evergreen and Emily Wood of Salida.

NOTEBOOK:

It's imprudent in the preseason to pick one girl as Class 5A state medalist, but here goes. Bethany Buchner of Loveland should win the title this year.

First, Buchner tied for second the past two years and is the highest-finishing state golfer returning this season. Second, she has dedication and talent, and her ball striking has the best weight transfer of anyone in 5A.

Buchner already has a golf scholarship awaiting her at the University of New Mexico, so the pressure is off there. Another factor is that the 5A tournament will be at Collindale in Fort Collins and Buchner lives just a few miles down the road and can drive there almost anytime she wants. She has her own car, bought by her father after she carded a course record 66 at Boomerang Links in the Birleffi tournament two years ago.

When it comes to home-course advantage in 5A, the Fort Collins Lambkins are not only closest to Collindale but have quite a bit of talent as well. Michelle Harrison finished 21st at state, Bailey Waddell was 35th and Jocelyn Thompson was 57th.

The 4A tournament will be held at Patty Jewett Golf Course in Colorado Springs, where the 5A girls competed two years ago. It should be a much different than 5A for medalist honors, as several real contenders should compete for the title.

One likely newcomer is sophomore Lindsay McGetrick of Valor Christian. A first-year school last season, Valor was not allowed to compete at state, but McGetrick still wrangled invitations to several top-flight tournaments in the regular season and did pretty well.

This ought to be the year hard-luck Addison Wessbecker finally gets to play in the state tournament. The Littleton senior missed out two years ago when she injured her back in a practice round the day before the tournament. Last year, she failed to qualify in regionals, even though she shot in the low 80s a couple of weeks before, on a much-tougher course.

Watch out for the freshmen. Loveland's Kara Ashmore is a ninth-grader who coach Doug Schneiter said regularly shoots in the 80s and has junior tournament experience. Arapahoe's Katy Dyachacova has similar scores to Ashmore and won't have to play No. 1 with Sarah Moore and Laura McGetrick in the lineup.

Highlands Ranch, the defending state champs, has Patricia Lee, who also is a veteran of the junior circuit. Legend coach Jay Nelson has high hopes for newcomers Cara Nelson and Amanda Meyer.

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