ORLANDO, FLORIDA – Golfers in two classes had to adjust their approach to the FHSAA State Championships this week – thanks to Hurricane Nicole.
The Category 1 hurricane’s approach and eventual swoop over most of Florida on Thursday forced officials to abbreviate championship rounds in classes 3A and 1A to an 18-hole stroke-play final, played at Mission Inn and Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills Florida .
The single-round format, though, didn’t seem to faze Sarasota Riverview’s Aksel Moe. The senior shot 35 on both sides on Tuesday, Nov. 8, to finish with a 2-under-par 70 to edge three other golfers who shot 71s for the Class 3A individual championship. He is the first Riverview boys’ golfer to win a state title.
Olympia’s Aaron Leach, Park Vista’s Emmanuel Lim, and Nease’s Jackson Klauk tied for second. Leach finished sixth last season.
Jupiter won the team title (297), beating out Miami Christopher Columbus (301) and Windermere (303). Columbus and Windermere finished third and fourth, respectively, last season.
Jupiter High School boys’ golf team won the Class 3A state title with an 18-hole score of 297.
Photo courtesy of Jupiter High School Twitter
In the Class 3A girls’ tournament, Lake Mary repeated as state champion (303). Niceville finished a distant second (314).
Ocala Forest sophomore Haley Davis captured the individual championship with a 68, improving on her runner-up finish from last year. Four golfers finished tied for second, four strokes back: Gainesville Buchholz’s Braydn Smith, Dr. Phillips’ Elan Zhang, Niceville’s Gracie Grant, and Lake Mary’s Lauryn Finley.
Lake Mary High School’s girls’ golf team repeated as Class 3A state champion with an 18-hole score of 303.
Photo courtesy of FHSAA Twitter
Golfers in Class 1A will play an 18-hole stroke-play final on Saturday, Nov. 12. Windermere Prep is the defending girls’ champion, while Bradenton Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School is the reigning boys’ titleist.
The girls’ division will have a new individual champion this year as Palm Beach’s Gardens Benjamin School’s Andie Smith graduated and signed with Duke.
Defending boys’ champion Alex Long of Saint Stephen’s, however, is back for another go-around after shooting 142 to win it last year.
The Class 2A state tournament will be held in a regular two-day, 36-hole format on Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 15-16.
Powerhouse American Plantation Broward will be looking to repeat as boys’ and girls’ champions, but both are seeded second for this year’s tournament behind Ponte Vedra.
Riverview-Spoto’s Sabree Lefevbre won last year’s girls’ title (141), while Luke Clanton won the boys’ championship.
A multi-year state champion, Clanton graduated and is now playing at FSU.
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