HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla. – The Florida High School Athletic Association State Championships concluded on Wednesday at Mission Inn Resort & Club. Team and individual champions were crowned for Classes 1A, 2A and 3A in both the Boys and Girls Divisions.
1A Boys & Girls
A wire-to-wire victory was captured by Lake Mary Prep in the Boys 1A finals. The team took a eight-shot lead after a first-round 299. They secured the dominating win with a final-round 298, finishing the championship at 597. Three teams took a share of second place with a total of 620: Wolfson High School, First Academy and Windermere Prep. Oxbridge Academy and Circle Christian tied for fifth at 630.
First Academy's Mohit Balaji took home the individual win in the 1A Boys Division. The Kissimmee native finished the first round one shot back of the leaders after a 73 on Tuesday. He secured the four-shot victory with a final -round 145. Wyatt Plattner, Bk Kim and Cam Goldknopf finished four shots back in a tie for second place at 149. Alex Long, Justin Burroughs and Tyler Stachkunas took a share of fifth place at 150.
First Academy picked up the win in the Girls 1A finals finishing the championship at 581. The team sat one shot back of the leaders, Lake Mary Prep, after a first-round 292. They fired a final-round 289 to capture the seven-shot victory. Lake Mary Prep finished runner-up, posting rounds of 2919-297--588, while Circle Christian earned third place with rounds of 304-299--603.
Angelica Holman came out on top in the individual competition, securing the one-shot victory at 6-under 138. Holman fired a first-round 66 to take a three-shot lead into the final round. She followed that up with an even-par 72 to capture the win. Tori Mouton finished one shot back at 5-under 139 to finish runner-up, after rounds of 70-69 for the championship. Alex Crafton took third place, with back-to-back rounds of 71 to finish the championship at 142.
2A Boys & Girls
Ponte Vedra High School captured its fourth-straight State Championship in the Boys 2A finals. The team finished the final round in a tie for first place with American Heritage High School (Plantation) after rounds of 301-296--597. Ponte Vedra survived a playoff to raise the trophy. American Heritage took home a second-place finish. Bishop Moore Catholic finished third at 614, after posting rounds of 305-309.
Luke Clanton, of American Heritage, fired a final-round 65 to capture the individual title. After opening with a first-round 72, Clanton used the low round of the championship to earn the victory. Danny Erickson put together two rounds of 73 to finish runner-up in the individual competition at 137. Clay Tucker finished one shot back at 147 to take third place, carding rounds of 74-73 for the championship.
American Heritage came out on top in the Girls 2A Division with a 629 total. The team began the championship with a first-round 323 to sit one-shot back of the leaders heading into the final round. They improved by 17 shots in the final round (306) to be crowned the Girls 2A champions. The first-round leaders, McKeel Academy, posted rounds of 322-327--649 to take second place. Archbishop McCarthy High School took home a third-place, finishing the championship with rounds of 328-328--656.
American Heritage's Kelly Shanahan survived a playoff to claim the individual title in the Girls Division. She carded rounds of 71-69--140 for the championship and finish in a tie for first place with Sabree Lefebvre. Shanahan rolled in a 40-foot birdie on the first playoff hole to secure the victory. Lefebvre, a two-time FJT champion this season, finished runner-up in the individual competition. Alexandra Gazzoli took third place, after round of 76-74--150.
3A Boys & Girls
Chiles High School captured its second-straight State Championship title in the Boys 3A finals. The team from Tallahassee posted two rounds of 297 to finish at 594 and secure the seven-shot victory. Winter Park High School finished runner-up, with rounds of 297-304--601. Lake Mary High School improved on a first-round 310 with a 291 in the final round to earn third place.
James Hassell, of Vero Beach High School, secured first place individually with rounds of 70-71--141 total. Jackson Snedaker and Jake Springer finished two shots back in a tie for second-place at 143. Snedaker fired a final-round 68, the low round of the championship, to take home a runner-up finish. Andrew Clark finished fourth, with rounds of 70-74--144.
Riverview High School (Sarasota) earned the victory in the Girls 3A finals in wire-to-wire fashion. The team put together rounds of 294-295--589 to secure the championship victory, Niceville High School finished 10 shots back in second place at 599, posting rounds of 305-294. Lakeland High School took home a third-place finishing, carding rounds of 325-302--627.
Riverview's Jacqueline Putrino raised the trophy in the individual competition, finishing the championship at 141. The Sarasota native put together rounds of 71-70 to earn the one-stroke victory. Elizabeth Kondal posted back-to-back rounds of 71 to finish runner-up at 142, while Analiese Raath finished third, with rounds of 78-65--143.
