Jack Stimple had one last stroke in him Wednesday.

Guided by his golf instructor Ann Finke, Stimple flicked his pen and made it official to play golf at Creighton.

Twenty athletes from Cheyenne Mountain have signed their letters of intent this school year — including nine Wednesday in a group that included two Division I signees in Stimple and swimmer Jonathan Littles (George Mason). In the past three years, 19 Indians have inked Division I scholarships and senior Bret Helton will likely make it 20 when he decides where he’ll play baseball (Kansas, Kansas State and Wichita State appear to be the favorites).

SEE IMAGES OF ALL SIGNING CEREMONIES ALL OVER THE CITY

 “For a long time I really wasn’t sure where I was going to end up,” Stimple said. “It was a nerve-racking process, but I finally have my decision made. It’s really nice.”

Creighton coach Chris Wiemers spoke highly of his left-handed recruit.

“Jack isn’t afraid to go low,” Wiemers said. “He hits a lot of birdies. He has a lot of potential for low scores at the next level.”

The senior, who finished fourth at 4A state, didn’t even have Omaha, Neb., on his rader a couple of months ago. He had offers from Colorado State and Colorado School of Mines — he had even thought about Nevada. But just like so many times in his golfing life, that’s when teacher Finke piped in.

“She had some connections in Omaha from some people from her playing days who played at Creighton and that got me in contact with (Wiemers),” Stimple said. “Then I went there and I liked the campus and coaches, so that’s when I decided.”

It wasn’t the first time Finke has picked Jack out of the rough. As a sophomore, the two-sport athlete would have tendencies to have his golf swing mimic that of the curveball that helped him throw a shutout in last year’s state championship baseball game.

“His hand would just turn over,” said Finke who then helped him fix it as Stimple soon became the area’s best golfer.

Today, Finke hugged Stimple, posed for a picture and watched her “easiest to teach student” make the next step … happy she could help.

“He gets to do it all (at Creighton). He gets to play golf and it’s a great academic institution,” said Finke who attended Nebraska, 75 miles from Omaha in Lincoln. “He’s going to fit right in.”

Note:  The Cheyenne Mountain boys’ golf team will have a new annual award called the “Jack Stimple Award.” Coach Bill Paulson said the award will exemplify the golfer who shows the best leadership.

“Jack is one of the best leaders and one of the best people I’ve ever met,” Paulson said.

Cheyenne Mountain’s Jack Stimple will play for the Division I golf team at Creighton next year. Photo by MARK REIS, THE GAZETTE