THORNTON >> Legacy freshman Chloe Hartojo had a hole-in-one during Sunday’s practice round at Todd Creek Golf Club, part of an excellent start to her first Class 5A girls golf state tournament.

Fast forward to Tuesday, a wind-plagued final round in Thornton was more of a struggle for the Granite Peaks League champion. She fell from a place inside the top 10 after Monday’s opening round to 21st.

“I’m very impressed with her,” Legacy coach Bobby Ortega said despite it. “Even though she struggled at times today, you wouldn’t know by the way she reacts. She has that great demeanor for golf.”

Hartojo, after shooting 6-over-par 78 on Day 1, scored 90 in the second round for a two-day score of 168.

The freshman had wowed all spring season long, topping one league tournament after another to win the GPL. Ortega said he knew she was special as soon as she showed up to Legacy’s optional winter practices at Topgolf in Thornton.

“You just knew,” Ortega said. “When you saw her swing, you could tell. Like somebody that plays basketball or any sport, you could just tell when she came in that she had skills.”

Hartojo said she enjoyed her first state appearance, though she admitted her final round was far from perfect.

Among her own critiques was the lack of distance in her drives, something she felt held her back from posting a better result on Day 2, especially when the wind was in her face.

“My driver wasn’t going as far as (my final group), and I think that got me in the wrong mindset,” she said.

“For next season, I want to increase that driver distance, and I just want to keep working on my game.”

Valor Christian’s Ella Scott won the individual title with a two-day score of 4-over 148, and the Eagles dominated the collective field yet again, becoming the first program in more than two decades to win four straight 5A titles. (Skyline had been the last to do it, winning three straight from 2003-05 after St. Vrain Valley’s district team won it all in 2002.)

Legacy, the lone local team to qualify for the 5A tournament, finished 12th. Senior Anjali Hagner shot 180, Jessica Chhour 187 and sophomore Jadyn Havens 197.

Erie’s Kenna Miller finished with a score of 195 and Katelyn Eich finished with a 237.