HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS — Day 2 of the Class 3A FHSAA golf state finals at Mission Inn Golf Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills started a little warmer than Tuesday’s brisk morning.
But with the wind and humidity in the air, teams had to wait about 90 minutes to start due to frost. That chilly beginning carried over to the course for Lake Nona, which struggled down the stretch in its quest to defend last year’s state title. The Lions, state champs a year ago, finished second Wednesday.
Parrish Community High School of Manatee County was 12 shots behind the Lions after one round but delivered a 287 score in Round 2 to total 603 and beat Lake Nona by two strokes.
“The girls didn’t play their best by far, but they continued through all the adversity,” Lions coach Shania Jones said. “The Parrish girls had a target and we happened to be it. They played great golf and earned the win.”
Lake Nona shot 304 to lead by 10 shots on Day 1 and scored better with a 301 Round 2 total, but Parrish improved by almost 30 strokes to pull off the improbable win.
Lake Nona sweeps in FHSAA 3A state golf, winning team and individual titles
Even before the first tee following the delay, the Lions didn’t get off on the right foot. Make that two different feet.
Last year’s individual state champ, sophomore Alexandra Snyder, had an issue with a toenail falling off while Sofia MacApagal had an ingrown toenail with some bleeding that resulted in her walking across the first green with just one shoe on.
Snyder placed fourth with a 3-over-par 145 score for 36 holes, eight shots behind individual medalist Sofia Rivera from Beachside. MacApagal finished eighth with 147.
Winter Park sophomore Phah Smitasin shot rounds of 70 and 71 at Mission Inn to place second in the 3A girls golf state tournament. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Winter Park sophomore Phah Smitasin shot 1-under 141 to place second individually and lead Winter Park to a fourth-place showing with a 628 total.
“I’m so proud of our team with its highest finish in three years,” Wildcats coach Joe DiFrancesco said. “Our girls gave everything they had. Phah gave a Herculean effort with all the golf she played the last five days [six competitive 18-hole rounds since Saturday, including a weekend amateur tournament].”
The Lake Mary girls finished seventh. St. Cloud was 10th.
The St. Cloud boys placed sixth with a 615 score. The Bulldogs improved their first-round 322 by 29 strokes with a 293, the second-best boys score of the two days.
Dwyer of Palm Beach Gardens totaled 587 to win by 17.
Windermere was 10th with 638. Dr. Phillips placed 11th, two shots behind the Wolverines, and Winter Park was 14th.
Dwyer’s Hampton Beebe took the individual title with 140.
The top Orlando area boy was Lake Nona’s Federico Tadini in 11th with 150. St. Cloud’s Ayden Febres and Ethan Parish each shot 151 to tie for 14th.
Lake Nona girls coped with chill to lead FHSAA 3A state golf tournament
Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be contacted by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
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