It’s going to take some work for an Orlando area girls golf team to keep a 13-year streak of team titles alive in Wednesday’s final day of the FHSAA Class 1A state tournament at Mission Inn Golf Club.
Boys teams from The First Academy and Lake Mary Prep are in better position to claim a championship with 18 holes to go on the El Campeon Course after Tuesday.
TFA shot 301 and trails Benjamin School of Palm Beach by 3 shots. Lake Mary Prep is 5 shots back at 303.
TFA was led by sophomore Mingbo Jiang with 71. That puts him five strokes behind leader Alexander Weinberg of Pine Crest. Palmer Haynes is close behind with 73 for the Royals.
Lake Mary Prep in 2020 was the last local boys team to take home a 1A title.
“I’m very happy with how we played today in tough conditions with rain off and on and some wind,” Griffins coach Brent Herold said. “We had some unlucky things happen to some of the guys, but we’re in a good position.”
One of the unlucky holes was No. 4 for senior Barry Zhang, who is in 11th place with 74. His tee shot veered toward the left rough, but he was unable to find the ball in the allotted time. That meant teeing off again, and the result was a double bogey.
“Those two shots [above par] would’ve put us tied for second,” Herold said.
In girls play, Florida Atlantic University High School of Boca Raton shot a 282 team total and is nine shots ahead of TFA (291), which is one of four area private schools that have dominated 1A competition.
Scores were collectively lower for girls on the Las Colinas Course. TFA junior Mi Li, the reigning 1A state champion and Orlando Sentinel Player of the Year, is in first place with an opening 66.
Li shot 66 to win last year’s 1A individual title and led TFA to its fourth team championship in six years. The second round of play was canceled due to complications caused by Hurricane Nicole.
Orlando area shines in FHSAA girls golf championship race (again)
“It was a rough start for us today, but I’m proud with how the team fought until the end,” Royals’ coach Victoria Tanco said. “Mi played lights out again with five birdies and the rest pars.”
Montverde Academy senior Victoria Renzi shot 67 and is in second place, one shot ahead of Windermere Prep eighth grader Ava Zhang (68).
Circle Christian sophomore Isabella Dovhey and Lake Mary Prep senior Nancy Dai shot 2-under-par 70s.
Varsity Content Editor Buddy Collings can be reached by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
