Four Orlando area girls golf teams have combined to win every one of the past 13 Florida High School Athletic Association Class 1A state championships.
Based on early-season results for Lake Mary Prep, The First Academy, Windermere Prep and Circle Christian, that streak could continue when the state tournament returns to its longtime home, Mission Inn of Lake County, in November.
In addition, the odds on Lake Mary winning its third consecutive Class 3A title look good. The Rams returned four of their five state tourney starters and stand No. 1 in the 3A iWanamaker rankings as of Wednesday.
TFA, which won its fourth 1A title last year, was the champion of the first big 2023 event on Monday, taking the Central Florida Tournament of Champions at the Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes by 10 strokes over Circle Christian. But Lake Mary Prep (four titles, the last in 2019), which wasn’t in Monday’s tourney field, topped TFA in a dual match the next day at Timacuan Golf Club and is undefeated in four outings.
And Windermere Prep (four titles, the last in 2021) edged TFA at Orange Tree Golf Club while Circle Christian (state champ in 2013, runner-up three times) shot 148 in a win over Lake Mary.
It’s a tossup.
Windermere Prep is ranked No. 2 in 1A behind FAU of Boca Raton. TFA is No. 3, Lake Mary Prep No. 4 and Circle Christian No. 5.
“Our area is as balanced as ever,” LMP coach Mike Jamison said Wednesday. “It’s just a matter of whose putts are falling on a particular day. FAU in South Florida joined the fray a couple years ago and will be a force when the state series rolls around.”
First Academy’s Mi Li, a junior who was the area Player of the Year in 2022, was four shots clear of the Tournament of Champions field on Monday with 3-under-par 69.
“She played solid throughout the round,” Royals coach Victoria Tanco said. “She started with three birdies right away and that set her for the rest of the round.”
TFA sophomore Angela Wang also has played well.
Circle Christian shot 308 with Angelina Pacheco (73) finishing second and Isabella Dovhey (76) placing fifth.
Lake Mary Prep won a nine-hole tournament hosted by Father Lopez in Daytona Beach three weeks ago and is 3-0 in duals, but has had four matches postponed due to inclement weather. That is par for the course for fall sports in Central Florida.
Lilliana Ford, an eighth grader for the Griffins, shot 2-under-par 34 in Tuesday’s win, while sophomore Tatiana Ang and senior Nora Adnane both had 1-under-par.
Postponements also have impacted Windermere Prep as it played only its third event of the season Tuesday, all dual matches. That was a 144-160 win over Montverde Academy at The Club at Bella Collina with seventh grader Xiyao Zhang shooting 2-under 34.
Varsity Weekly: Lake Mary golfer Ryleigh Knaub in Solheim, Ryder
Lake Mary was third at the Tournament of Champions event it hosts, playing without its No. 1 golfer, junior Ryleigh Knaub. She’ll be out of the country and out of the lineup for about a month as a member of the Junior Solheim Cup and Junior Ryder Cup squads representing the United States against Europe.
The Rams, state champs nine times since 2007, will still shine in most matches with junior Lauryn Finley, senior Arenui Faana and junior Delaney Sillaway leading the way. Knaub’s absence gives coach Dennis Burchill a chance to get some younger golfers meaningful playing time.
That includes freshman Elli Chon, who was third in Monday’s tourney with 75.
“She’s a freshman who plays with the maturity of a senior,” Burchill said. “She’s very talented, works hard and just needs experience.”
Pictures: Central Florida Tournament of Champions girls golf
East Ridge junior Alexandra Remaklus, who was an All-State player in Colorado last year, is the No. 2-ranked individual in 3A. Oviedo junior Hannah Booth, East River senior Ann Burel and Winter Park sophomore Madison Malaret are also in the top 15 — along with Knaub and Finley.
Another individual to watch is Maggie Potash of First Academy-Leesburg. The junior plays with the Eagles’ boys team since they don’t have a girls squad, and challenges for the top spot in many matches. She’s averaging 36 for nine holes and went 1-under-par 35 in the Buffalo Invitational boys event last Saturday at The Villages Glenview Champions Country Club. She was second out of 44 players.
The upcoming girls golf schedule includes:
Lake Mary Prep vs. TFA on Oct. 3, at Orange Tree Golf Club.
Citrus League championship, Oct. 4, at Mission Inn.
Windermere Prep vs. TFA, Oct. 5, at Grande Vista.
Qdoba Burrito Challenge, Oct. 6, at Providence Golf Club.
Honda Classic High School Invitational, Oct. 13-14, at PGA National (Palm Beach Gardens).
Varsity Content Editor Buddy Collings contributed to this story. He can be reached by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
