BOULDER CITY, Nev.— The Colorado Mesa University Mavericks posted its best ever round in relation to par and their second best team score in program history to open up a 7-stroke lead after the first day of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships on Sunday here at the Boulder Creek Golf Club.
 
Thanks to four scores in the 60's and five below par, the Mavericks recorded a team score of 19-under par 269 in the first of three rounds, good for the lead over second place Fort Lewis College and the rest of the 7-team field.
 
The 19-under par score broke the Mavs' record of -16 from last spring's The Stack tournament.
 
The 269 team score is just one off the program record of 268 at the Ryan Palmer Invitational in the fall of 2024, played on a par 71-couarse.
 
The charge was led by sophomore Leo Lavalle, who made three eagles during a 7-under par round of 65, equal to his best of his career.  He leads the Colorado School of Mines' Liam Allen by a stroke.  Lavalle's round matched his season and career-best.
 
Lavalle's round was also tied for fourth in program history.
 
Meanwhile, CMU junior Dylan Everett is tied for third in the 42-man field at 67 (-5) after he made seven birdies with just two bogeys.
 
Luke Wagstaff, tied for sixth at 68 (-4) and freshman Henry Starr, tied for tenth at 69 (-3) also fared well.  Their rounds were just one shot off their season-bests.
 
CMU's Baptiste Laborde also broke par with a round of 71 (-1) and is tied for 19^th.
 
Timmy Cavarno posted an even par round of 72 and is tied for 22^nd.
 
Monday's second round will begin with an 8:15 a.m. PDT (9:15 a.m. Mountain) shotgun start, moved up due to expected high winds.