Tuesday’s
(Oct. 8) golf match between Phoenix Pinnacle and Xavier Prep had all the
trappings of a state championship duel. The only thing missing was a shiny
title trophy.
Xavier’s
eight-time defending champions came away with a six-shot victory at Camelback
Golf Club in Scottsdale, but it wasn’t until the last few holes that the match
was decided.
The Gators
shot a 5-under-par 139, while Pinnacle was at 1-over 145.
The win
enabled XCP to finish the regular season unbeaten at 10-0 and extend its unbeaten
match streak to 255-0 since 1996 (there were two ties that count in that
figure) and dominating 477-25 mark since 1974.
Tuesday’s
score was Xavier’s second-lowest of the season. The Gators shot 134 in a
three-way match with Tempe Corona del Sol and Mesa Desert Ridge on Sept. 10 at
Phoenix Country Club.
Pinnacle,
which finished ahead of Xavier in the Antigua and Aguila tournaments, figures
to be nipping at Xavier’s heels, or maybe vice versa, in the two-day Division I
state tournament on Nov. 4-5 at the Omni Tucson National Sonoran course. The
Sonoran is one of the toughest challenges of the season, with rugged
up-and-down terrain.
Long-time
Xavier golf Co-Head Coach and Athletic Director Sr. Lynn Winsor and Co-Head
Coach and Associate AD Tui Selvaratnam indicated that the Gators appear to be
peaking at the right time. But defeating Pinnacle would not be easy.
“The state
tournament is going to be very, very close,’’ Winsor said. “Our whole team
stepped up against one of the very best teams in the state.’’
Said
Selvaratnam: “We’re proud of all the girls, and particularly the seniors. They
knew in their hearts what they needed to do today.’’
The coaches
wanted the seniors to go out never having lost a match, particularly three-time
state individual champion Ashley Menne and her future Arizona State teammate,
Breyana Matthews. This is Menne’s fourth year on the varsity and Matthews’
third.
Menne
finished second on Tuesday, behind rising sophomore star Ivy Song. Song shot a
4-under 32 for medalist honors and Menne had a 2-under 34. Matthews and
freshman Annie Dawson birdied the final hole to help make the winning margin
more comfortable. Dawson had two birds in this round.
Both
Matthews and Dawson finished with 1-over 37s, one shot behind junior teammate
Mary Beth Doss, who was at even-par 36.
“They came
into the match and played like champions because they are champions,’’ Winsor said.
For about the next four weeks, the Gators will get a chance
to focus on whatever parts of their game that will help them the most. And with
as strong as Pinnacle is, they are going to need it.
Xavier scores
Sophomore Ivy Song, 4-under-par 32; senior Ashley Menne,
2-under 34; junior Mary Beth Doss, even-par 36; freshman Annie Dawson, 1-over
37; senior Breyana Matthews, 1-over 37; senior Sissi Wang, 5-over 41; junior
Lauren Garcia, 7-over 43; senior Sydney Trout, 9-over 45; freshman Sophie
Stamatis, 9-over 45; sophomore Kate Ryan, 11-over 47; senior Danae Bravo,
11-over 47; sophomore Ava Mayberger, 12-over 48, sophomore Audrey Sanchez,
12-over 48.