Xavier golfers tie for 3rd in State Preview

 Xavier Prep and Peoria Liberty were tied for the top spot among Division I golf teams, but it was two-time defending Division II state champion Oro Valley (Tucson) Ironwood Ridge that took the overall victory on Monday (Oct. 18) with D-II Cave Creek Cactus Shadows second in the State Preview tournament at the Aguila Golf Course in Laveen.

Ironwood Ridge had an overall team score of 300, 12-over par. Cactus Shadows was at 309. Xavier and Liberty were at 312, 24-over par. Liberty had the tournament’s medalist, Mattie Frick, who had a 5-under 67, and won the D-I individual state title a year ago.

Xavier’s top individual was senior Ivy Song, who shot a 3-over 75. The other three golfers who counted toward the team score all were at 7-over 79 – sophomore Lena Durette, sophomore Kate Hauptman and junior Annie Dawson. Sophomore Jayden Jevnick had a 9-over 81.

The three extra players for XCP were sophomore Kalyn Doss, at 5-over 75, sophomore Kyla Layman, at 9-over 81, and sophomore Grace Rubelsky, at 15-over 87.

The Gators now turn their attention to an attempt to win their second straight state title and 38^th in school history when they play at the Omni Tucson National Resort’s Sonoran Course on Nov. 1 and 2.

That course features more rugged desert terrain compared to the Catalina Course, which also has been used for state tournaments. The Division II state title will be one week prior, on Oct. 25 and 26, at Tucson Omni National. Xavier has played practice rounds on the Sonoran in recent weeks,to get a feel for the course layout.

State preview team scores

Oro Valley Ironwood Ridge 300, Cave Creek Cactus Shadows 309, Xavier Prep 312, Peoria Liberty 312, Phoenix Pinnacle 320, Goodyear Millennium 323, Chandler Hamilton 326, Waddell Canyon View 330, Anthem Boulder Creek 338, Phoenix Desert Vista 345, Tucson Salpointe Catholic 351, Gilbert Highland 353, Phoenix Arcadia 358, Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor 359, Scottsdale Desert Mountain 360, Glendale Mountain Ridge 394, Scottsdale Chaparral 404, Gilbert Campo Verde 422, Queen Creek 430, Kingman Lee Williams 471.