HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS — No matter what sport or level of play, the expectation of winning brings with it plenty of pressure. Much of that is self-induced.
But the Lake Mary girls golf team overcame that pressure to win another Class 3A state title Saturday at Mission Inn-Las Colinas Golf Course.
The Rams posted a two-day score of 600 (298-302) to defeat runner-up Doral by 53 strokes. It’s their third straight title and 10th overall.
The win extends Central Florida’s dominance in girls golf with at least one team state champ for the 19th consecutive season.
“The girls feel like everyone expects them to win, so the challenge is to make sure they focus without thinking about that [on the course],” said Rams coach Dennis Burchill after receiving a balloon from his players on Veterans Day in honor of his service. “I tell the girls this is a great experience every year and to take it all in since each year and title is different.”
Orlando area shines in FHSAA girls golf championship race (again)
St. Cloud was fourth with 659. DeLand was fifth at 662, led by the top local finisher McKenzie Coody. The senior was tied for fourth with 145 after carding four straight birdies on the back nine.
“It was a nice feeling getting those birdie on the 10th through 13th holes after having to grind through yesterday’s round,” said Coody, who was one shot off the lead after that streak. “Once I bogeyed 16, that took a toll emotionally.”
This was the first time DeLand’s girls golf team advanced to the state tournament.
Lake Mary’s Ryleigh Knaub was in contention early on the back nine before a pair of bad holes dropped her to a tie for seventh with 146.
“It’s really hard to stay positive, but I can smile about it now,” she said. “The team won and that’s more important.”
The junior said Mission Inn’s Las Colinas course doesn’t match up with her game as well as others.
Besides the team win, another bit of good news for Knaub is that she finalized her college choice just before the state finals after months of visits. She committed to LSU.
Lake Mary junior Lauryn Finley tied for 13th with a 150 two-day total. Senior Arenui Faana was 21st at 153.
On the boys side, Dr. Phillips wasn’t able to catch eventual champion Fleming Island, which shot 583 for the two days. The Panthers were third with 608 while Windermere was 10th with 630.
“They shot about the same as yesterday. We never got to that other gear like we have done all year,” DP coach Jerry Updike said. “The goal is to get to state and challenge for a title, so this is a good way to finish for our seniors.”
The Panthers had five seniors who have played in the state finals multiple times. Two of them — Brandon Lohr and Taneesh Sirivolu — tied for sixth for the top area boys golfer with 146.
Varsity Content Editor Buddy Collings can be reached by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
