Over last weekend, Riverton sent it’s boys team to Buffalo and they came back home with quite a bit of hardware winning the team state championship with a total score after 2 rounds of 638, edging 2nd place Evanston by 23. Riverton took the best score of both individual rounds to make well sure of their championship victory in an impressive showing overall for the squad.

Most impressive of all though among the state champions was the performance of Parker Paxton who for the 3rd time in his career at Riverton, took home the individual state championship in the 3A boys division. Paxton shot an impressive 137 over 2 rounds and much like the team did, he not only took the overall best score but won both individual rounds as well. Also like his team did, he had to fend off Evanston who was on his tail in 2nd place, besting Sam Dolezal by 15 in overall score.

Parker had some help getting him to this point though from the nearest of sources, his own household, as all his brothers are excellent golfers who competed against Parker throughout his childhood which pushed him to get better as he recalls it, “I just think we all love it, we are out there all the time as [Dahl Erickson] just mentioned we have some really good competitions within the family.”

Although despite crediting his brothers with making him the golfer he is today, he did reiterate that he is still top dog of the course when prompted by Duke Dance to tell us who is the best of the family, “Well you know I got to say it’s me you know I’m not gonna give Easton any credit” followed by a slight chuckle. The kind of family rivalry you just love to see in sports.

Parker also discussed the feeling of playing in the biggest tournament of the year which he feels he was built for, “The higher the stakes the more I seem to focus and you know the more I have ever reason to bring it.”

He certainly looked like someone who was focused in and not letting the pressure or the moment get to him, hitting 3 Eagles during the tournament and of course scoring a 65 on round 1 and a 72 in round 2, which Paxton blamed on an off day of short game shooting, “Day 2 was a bit of a different story, I didn’t putt near as well day 2. I can honestly say that was one of the worst putting days I have ever had.” Which may make his 72, round 2-leading score even more impressive to an extent. If that was Parker without his A-game, then future opponents beware when he finds it.

Paxton has already committed to the University of Colorado with another year of high school competition left in front of him. “It’s been my dream since age 10 to play power 5 conference golf” though Parker did have several other offers but said “I hit it off with the coaches more than I did more than I did any other coaches” in regard to why he choose the Buffalos in the end.

Parker still has a couple of basketball seasons left in front of him and another season of high school golf for those Riverton fans out there who want to see some more of the 3 time state champion athlete, his brother Easton also currently golfs for North Carolina State which shows just how talented the family truly is in the world of Wyoming golf.