Lake Mary, Lake Nona make big splashes at state golf
Lake Mary isn’t letting youth stand in the way of its quest for a fourth consecutive Class 3A girls golf state championship.
And Lake Nona’s boys didn’t let one sick player derail its hopes for a state title on Tuesday.
Ninth-graders Karoline Tuttle and Izzy Pellott shot the best girls scores of the opening day — 69 and 70, respectively — to propel Lake Mary to a one-shot lead over Sarasota Riverview heading into the final round of the Class 3A state tournament at Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-theHills. The Rams had a fourplayer score of 293.
“I kept on the fairway and rolled some putts and here I am,” said Tuttle, who recently committed to play collegiately for Florida. “It’s pretty cool to shoot 3-under and lead your team.”
Lake Mary coach Dennis Burchill said of Tuttle and Pellott: “We have two very strong freshman players who are up to the task, so to speak, that can handle this kind of environment very well.”
Lake Nona leads the boys tournament by two shots despite having to count an 86 in its 303 team total on the 6,601-yard El Campeon course. That was the uncharacteristic score talented ninth-grader Sebastiano Mascia posted after waking up with a stomach bug.
“I was panicking as a head coach before we even got to the course,” said Lake Nona coach Justin Johnson. “We got him some Pepto-Bismol and he was eating crackers all day long. He battled through and he feels like he’s going to be back to normal.”
Lake Nona junior Joseph Padgin is tied for third in the individual standings after shooting a 2-under-par 70. Austin Cherichella, also a junior, added a 73 and freshman Luke Poulter shot 74 for the Lions.
Winter Park’s boys, like Lake Nona, finished strong on the back nine holes and are in a three-way tie for second at 305 with Naples Gulf Coast and Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas. The Wildcats, third last year, were led by sophomore Michael Mays’ 72.
Second-year Windermere High stands sixth (309).
Apopka takes aim on its sixth consecutive boys bowling state championship and Oviedo’s girls go for a three-peat at Boardwalk Bowl today and Thursday.
But both teams face two long days of competition in Orlando.
Apopka’s challengers include an Oviedo boys team that, like its girls, went undefeated in the regular season and district tournament play.
“They are ready and our mindset is that they are confident in their abilities and are all in,” veteran Oviedo coach Pat Costello said. “Hopefully the bowling gods are with us.”
Oviedo is seeking Seminole County’s first boys bowling state title since the sport became FHSAAsanctioned in 2003. The Lions did score slightly higher than Apopka in their separate district meets (3,175 to 3,166), but the Blue Darters have succeeded under pressure at Boardwalk many times.
“Every year the target gets bigger,” Apopka coach Doug Campbell said. “The new players have not yet experienced what they’re looking to achieve while the older ones know what it is and wonder if they can do it again. These boys are stepping into some big shoes, and each year the mountain gets bigger.”
The Blue Darters were led at district by freshman Nathan Wesley (706) and junior Ben Bailey (703).
Lake Howell and Pine Ridge will be in the mix after both posted district scores topping 3,000.
The leading area girls score last week came from District 8 champ Circle Christian (2,818). Oviedo carded a 2,792 total, and Orange City University rolled a 2,519.
Opening-day play stretches from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. with individual and team competition, and continues Thursday from 7:45 a.m. until about 8:15 p.m.