High school boys golf: Led by medalist Bowen Mauss, Corner Canyon captures 6A state title to halt Lone Peak’s 5-year reign
High school golf championship celebrations are usually pretty subdued, but not on Tuesday at the Old Mill Golf Course following conclusion of the 6A state tournament.
As Corner Canyon junior Bowen Mauss hugged coach Derek Fox to celebrate his 6A individual title by two strokes, the pair was mobbed by the rest of the Chargers team and were doused with buckets and bottles of water in celebration of the first boys golf state title in school history.
Mauss and Fox both emerged drenched, particularly Fox, but it was more than worth it after dethroning five-time state champ Lone Peak.
“We’ve been doing this for six years, getting better every year. Every player on this team has had a piece to do with this,” said Fox. “It’s my favorite time of year. I have four girls at home and have 27 boys in the fall. Our chant is family, and that’s how we feel about each other.”
This was Fox’s sixth year as head coach at Corner Canyon, and the team has gotten methodically better each year, and finally cleared the final hurdle this year. His team finished fourth in 2018 and 2019, third in 2020, and second in 2021 and 2022. The Chargers watched Lone Peak lift the 6A trophy the last four seasons.
But this year, the roles were reversed.
Corner Canyon was the only team to shoot under par for the tournament, finishing with a 1-under 567. Lone Peak finished second with a 576, and Herriman was third with a 583.
The Chargers realistically won it on the first day with a great 277 score to open up a 15-shot lead on Lone Peak.
Fox said that allowed his players to golf more loosely during Tuesday’s final round.
“Today got kind of tough with the wind so it’s always nice to have the pressure off and have a bit of a lead,” said Fox.
While Corner Canyon’s team title never seemed in trouble, the chase for 6A medalist was definitely up in the air early on Day 2.
Herriman’s Elliott Bond had a one-stroke lead over Corner Canyon’s Mauss, Riverton’s Jaxon Erickson and Corner Canyon’s Crew Labrum after the first day, and a two-stroke lead over two other golfers, including two-time champ Kihei Akina from Lone Peak.
Every golfer in contention knew from experience last year that Akina was capable of getting very hot and running away with the title.
That’s exactly what he did early, birdieing four of the first six holes to take the lead at -6, but he played 1-over golf the rest of the way to finish with a 5-under 137. He never recovered from bogeys at No. 9 and 10.
“I usually go for the green with driver on nine, but into the wind I couldn’t get there, hit 3-iron just blocked into the hazard. Hit a pretty good third shot, but missed an 8-footer for par,” said the junior Akina. “This tournament means a lot, especially coming off two wins. I definitely wanted to get four.”
About the same time Akina was bogeying back-to-back holes, Mauss rolled in a 40-foot putt for eagle on No. 5 to take over a lead he never relinquished.
He then birdied three of the next eight holes to get to 9-under. When Akina birdied No. 18 to wrap up his round, Mauss had a four-stroke cushion which allowed him to play those final four holes conservatively to avoid the trouble in the trees on the closing holes at Old Mill.
He ended up bogeying two of those final four holes, but the title was never in doubt.
“It’s been my goal for a long time, I haven’t played very good at state the last two years so this means a lot,” said Mauss, who finished tied for 10th as a freshman then fourth as a sophomore. “I was definitely more prepared this year and I had a lot more confidence.”
Great play on the front nine was the difference for Mauss. In the first round he shot a 34 on the front, but trailing by a stroke heading into the final round — and seeing Akina’s hot start as he teed off an hour earlier — Mauss knew he had to play aggressive early.
“I was basically going at every pin and trying to make every putt,” said Mauss, who won the individual title with a 7-under 135.
He birdied No. 2, 4 and 9 on the front nine and then eagled No. 5 for a 5-under 30 on the front.
“Bowen’s been solid for us all year. He’s come through when you need him to come through. I know yesterday’s round I know he shot a good score but he didn’t feel like he did what he wanted to. I knew he was going to put up a good score for us today, that’s how he’s been all year,” said Fox.
Only two other golfers shot under par over the two days at the Old Mill. Riverton’s Jaxon Erickson finished third with a 2-under 140 and Corner Canyon’s Krew Labrum was fourth with a 1-under 141. Herriman’s Ian Miyasaki shot even to finish in sole possession of fifth place.
6A State Tournament
At Old Mill Golf Course (par 72)
Final team scores
Corner Canyon, 567
Lone Peak, 576
Herriman, 583
Fremont, 586
Farmington, 588
Skyridge, 599
American Fork, 600
Layton, 609
Individual results (Top 20)
135 — Bowen Mauss, Jr., Corner Canyon
137 — Kihei Akina, Jr., Lone Peak
140 — Jaxon Erickson, So., Riverton
141 — Krew Labrum, Sr., Corner Canyon
142 — Ian Miyasaki, So., Herriman
143 — Trevor Plewe, Sr., American Fork
143 — Landen Green, Jr., Syracuse
144 — Jack Davis, So., American Fork
144 — Cole Taylor, Sr., Farmington
145 — Chase Burton, Sr., Fremont
145 — Elliot Bond, Jr., Herriman
146 — Luke Seaquist, Jr., Lone Peak
146 — Toa Ofahengaue, Jr., Lehi
146 — Kyson Christensen, Sr., Fremont
146 — Jack Summerhays, So., Farmington
147 — Calvin Armstrong, Jr., Skyridge
147 — Max Landon, Jr., Davis
147 — Taven Boatwright, Sr., Westlake
147 — William Pizza, So., Corner Canyon
147 — Lincoln Blake, Jr., Corner Canyon
