Despite difficult weather conditions, there was drama on the girls side and records set by The First Academy’s boys in golf tournaments last weekend at Providence Golf Club in Davenport.
It was the 11th annual Qdoba Burrito Challenge girls invitational on a windy Friday, and the 18th annual Qdoba Tournament of Champions boys invite on Friday and a rainy Saturday on a long track (6,881 yards for boys).
Parrish Community High School of Manatee County edged Lake Mary Prep 297-298 to win the girls Burrito Challenge. It came down to the last hole with the Griffins’ Lilliana Ford, who was the Qdoba individual champ two years ago as an eighth grader, lipping out a birdie putt that would have given LMP the title based on the tiebreaker.
Lake Mary Prep junior Charlize Peterson, Circle Christian senior Ana Boone and Parrish junior Avery Banfill tied for first individually 2-under-par 70. The playoff was on the 18th hole, and with daylight waning, the girls were allowed to play one tee closer on the par-5.
Peterson and Banfill birdied to advance to a second playoff hole on No. 18. They moved up one more tee, which made the par-5 even more scorable. Peterson took advantage of a perfect 245-yard drive to put her second shot about 8 feet from the hole. She drained the eagle putt to better Banfill’s birdie.
“It helped that they moved the tees up if you want to take a chance,” Peterson said. “I played it safe on the first playoff hole, but I knew I could go for it on the second hole.”
Lake Mary Prep coach Mike Jamison was not surprised by Peterson’s clutch performance, and was happy with the team effort.
“She works harder on her game than most,” he said. “I think we’re ready for the postseason.”
TFA’s boys set multiple records while claiming the team title for the first time. The Royals shot 285-272 — 557 to top seven-time state champ Ponte Vedra by 16 shots. The Saturday score smashed the previous 18-hole tourney record (277).
Rosado said the 272 and 557 scores are boys school records.
The First Academy’s Mingbo Jiang watches his shot during the Central Florida Prep Invitational boys golf tournament at The Country Club of Orlando in September. On Saturday he shot 64 at Providence to win the Qdoba Tournament of Champions. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)
TFA senior Mingbo Jiang, a USC commit, was the boys medalist at 134 after shooting 8-under 64 on Saturday. He tied the lowest two-day boys score in Qdoba history, matching American Heritage’s Jorge Garcia in 2013 and Cardinal Newman’s Chase Koepka in 2010. Both of those men are now pro golfers.
TFA junior Joshua Castellanos placed third with 6-under 70-68 — 138 score.
“That was a fun day,” Royals coach Robin Rosado said. “It was great to see the boys play well after they work so hard at it.”
Lake Nona’s Alexandra Snyder, who won the 3A girls 2024 state championship as a ninth grader, is stacking up trophies as she juggles high school golf with age group amateur play. Last weekend she drained a 40-foot birdie putt to force a playoff and won the Florida Juniors Tour ages 13-15 championship event in Lakewood Ranch. Snyder shot 73-71-72 — 216.
Lake Mary totaled 320 at The Timacuan Club to win the Seminole Athletic Conference girls title.
Bishop Moore hosts its 18-team boys invitational Friday and Saturday at Dubsdread with most of the area’s best entered — including TFA.
Lake Mary Prep junior golfer Charlize Peterson won a playoff to win the Qdoba Burrito Challenge. (File photo, Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Volleyball
State No. 1 Winter Park (23-1), playing at home, staved off a match point and pulled out a 25-21, 25-10, 24-26, 22-25, 16-14 victory in an epic three-hour Tuesday match against Kissimmee Osceola (21-4). Amelia Mancino (16 kills, 12 digs), Isabel Incinneli (11 kills, 26 digs), Paige Lehman (42 assists, 12 digs) and Isabel Bertelsen led (26 digs, 3 ace serves) led the Wildcats.
“When the match is on the line these girls really step up,” Winter Park coach Stephanie Gibson said.
Osceola, ranked No. 2 in 7A behind the Wildcats, got big numbers from Cate Palmi (16 kills, 20 digs), Jordin Southall (17 kills, 14 digs), Delaney Webb (48 assists), Brooklyn Sippio (12 kills, 2 blocks), Priscilla Rada (23 digs) and Sophia Spivey (10 kills, 8 digs).
Winter Park cruised through last weekend’s Swing for the Cure Tournament, hosted by Bishop Moore. The Wildcats dispatched Lake Brantley 25-14, 25-14 in the final. The Wildcats wrap up the regular season at home with Thursday’s 6:30 p.m. Dig For The Cure match against Bishop Moore (12-12). Admission is free but 100% of donations go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Jenness Orcutt had 18 kills and 24 digs for Hagerty (17-3) in its 25-22, 23-25, 25-19, 25-17 rivalry match win against Oviedo.
The 7A No. 4 Huskies close their regular season Thursday against 2A No. 1 Orangewood Christian (20-4).
Oviedo (17-6), No. 3 in 6A, bounced back to win 27-25, 25-18, 25-23 vs. 5A No. 5 Innovation (17-5).
Close calls:
Lake Highland Prep (17-6) rallied to win the final three sets in a 23-25, 12-25, 25-21, 25-22, 15-11 win against The First Academy (15-4).
The Geneva School (19-4) won 26-24, 21-25, 25-12, 19-25, 15-8 vs. Real Life Christian Academy (14-6).
Winter Park, Florida’s No. 1 ranked team, swept five matches in winning the Swing For the Cure volleyball tournament last weekend. (Winter Park courtesy photo)
Cross country
Oviedo’s boys placed 10th at the loaded Great American XC Festival in Cary, North Carolina, on Saturday. The Lions were just behind Gainesville Buchholz, which won last year’s 4A state title ahead of runner-up Hagerty.
Boone swept the boys and girls team titles in the Metro Conference West Division races at University High (Orlando). Lake Nona senior Matthew Rutan clocked a 15:57.5 time for his third win in three races this year and Lake Nona sophomore Arabella Duffell ran 18:48.20 for her fifth consecutive first place finish.
Horizon swept the Metro East titles with Jacob Finch (16:13.6) finishing first for the Hawks boys and teammate Abigayle White (19:24.8) winning the girls race.
The boys East Ridge team earned a perfect 15 score – with its five top runners finishing 1-5 — to win its own Green Monster Invitational. The East Ridge girls also won easily.
The previously unbeaten Hagerty boys were runner-up to Miami Columbus in the FLRunners.com Invitational in Lakeland.
Bowling
Undefeated Hagerty (13-0 through Tuesday) has four of the top five bowlers in the Seminole Athletic Conference, based on averages.
Oviedo junior Alexander Coghill leads that list with a 212 per game average coming into this week. He was followed by Hagerty teammates Mitch Guttentag (206), Nick Stephen (204), Kaleb Jimenez (201) and Conner Jimenez (200).
Larielle Tharps rolled a 259 game for East River (8-0) in a Monday tri-match girls victory. The East River boys, also 8-0, dealt Winter Park (11-1) its first loss.
East River junior Larielle Tharps is all smiles during a Monday win vs. Winter Park at Boardwalk Bowl & Entertainment. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be contacted by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
