Several local high school golfers competed in Florida High School Athletic Association state tournaments over the past few weeks, with a few of them doing quite well.
The tournaments were held at Mission Inn Resort & Club in Howey-in-the-Hills, with individual golfers and full teams competing over two rounds. Boys golfers played on the 6,762-yard, par-72 El Campeon Course, while the girls hit the links on the par-72 Las Colinas Course, tapping out at 5,455 yards.
In Class 3A action played on Nov. 9, the Sunlake High girls team sent two players to the state tournament.
Junior Alyssa Mixon finished tied for eighth, shooting back-to-back 75s (six over), just one spot below her seventh-place tie she grabbed at the 2021 tournament. It’s the third-straight state tournament appearance for Mixon, who also placed 32nd in 2020 as a freshman.
Her Seahawks teammate, fellow junior Hailey Striker, joined her at the state tournament and shot a two-round 168 for a 51st-place finish.
On the boys side of 3A, Steinbrenner High’s Jack Vanderschuur was the only local golfer to play in the state tournament from this class. The sophomore finished tied for 61st after shooting back-to-back 81s for an 18-over score.
In the Class 2A tournament played Nov. 15 and Nov. 16, both Cypress Creek boys and girls teams, once again, advanced to the state tournament, giving each back-to-back appearances.
On the boys side, the Coyotes finished 13th, with a team score of 689. They were led by senior Joaquin Parrilla, who shot a team-best 165 (+21), while junior Connor Newbold finished six spots behind him at 49th, shooting a two-round 166.
Both Levi Wade and Trey Sasser finished at 74th place with scores of 180, while freshman Maximus Knight finished at 89th, shooting a 188.
In 2021, Cypress Creek boys finished sixth as a team, with Newbold placing fifth overall in the field.
For the girls, the Coyotes finished 14th, with a team score of 752. They were led by senior Carmen Phousirith, who shot a team-best 159 (+15), while fellow senior Annamarie Ratican finished eight spots behind her at 30th, shooting a two-round 165.
Rounding out the five-player team, Skylar Lee finished 86th (210), Addison Noll finished 91st (218) and Jillian Scott finished 94th (226).
Last season, Cypress Creek girls finished seventh as a team, with Phousirith placing 17th overall in the field.
Published November 23, 2022
