If the Labor
Day weekend’s Antigua High School Golf Invitational can be used as a measuring
stick, then Xavier Prep would appear to have a good chance to make a run at the
school’s 37th Division I state championship in November.
Xavier
nearly matched defending state champion Phoenix Pinnacle stride for stride in
Saturday’s (Sept. 5) final round at the Whirlwind Golf Club’s Devil’s Claw
Course in Chandler. Xavier began the day five shots back and finished the
tournament just three behind. Cave Creek Cactus Shadows also made a run,
finishing one shot behind Xavier.
“They are
motivated, yes, for the rest of the season,’’ said XCP co-head coach Tui
Selvaratnam. “They have a ton of potential and they believe in themselves.’’
Of Xavier’s
six players in the tournament, only one, Lauren Garcia, is a senior. There is a
junior (Ivy Song), a sophomore (Annie Dawson), and three freshmen (Jayden
Jevnick, Kyla Layman and Kate Hauptman).
“The younger
girls already have some experience in AJGA (Arizona Junior Golf Association)
events, and the more high school competition they play, the better they will
be,’’ Selvaratnam said.
Selvaratnam
said Friday’s first round was hot, and Saturday’s was even hotter.
Song was the
Gators’ top finisher with a two-day total of 147, 3 over par. Garcia was at
148, Dawson was at 150, Jevnick was at 152 and Layman and Hauptman were at 156.
Garcia had Saturday’s top Xavier round with an even-par 72, and Dawson had a
73.
In addition
to its Arizona state title, Pinnacle entered this tournament carrying momentum
from its victory in August in the High School National Invitational in
Pinehurst, N.C. Senior Katie Stinchcomb was medalist in the Antigua after
back-to-back 69s. She tied for second in the National Invitational and was
seventh as a junior in the Arizona state tournament.
Xavier,
unbeaten in three regular-season events thus far, returns to action on
Wednesday (Sept. 9) against Mesa Desert Ridge and host Phoenix Desert Vista at
the Foothills West Golf Course in Ahwatukee.
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