The First Coast went a decade from 2014 to 2023 without an FHSAA state girls’ individual golf champion.
Now the area has had two in the last two years and nearly added a boys champion on Nov. 12, with two more classifications remaining.
Beachside junior Sofia Rivera shot a bogey-free front nine (the back at the Mission Inn Resort Las Colinas Course and went on to record the tournament’s low round with a 67 to win the FHSAA Class 3A title by four shots at 5-under-par 137 over Phah Amitasin of Winter Park.
Rivera, who was a member of Beachside’s Class 2A team championship in 2023, was tied for the lead after 18 holes but swiftly took command with a birdie at her first hole (No. 10) and birdied Nos. 17 and 18.
She closed with a birdie at No. 9.
Rivera, who verbally committed to play golf at Indiana earlier this week, follows Sadaly Campbell of Fernandina Beach, who won the 2A individual title last year in a playoff.
Before Campbell and Rivera’s championships, the First Coast had three individual state girls champions, Nicolette Donovan of Ponte Vedra (2013), Kelly Trent of Westside (1978) and Tamara Bowman of Parker (1968).
Parish placed three players among the top-25 to win the team title by two shots over Lake Nona at 35-over 603. Ponte Vedra tied Steinbrenner for fifth (61-over), Beachside (87-over) was 11th and Nease (110-over) was 15th.
Charlotte Xia (72—150) led Ponte Vedra with a tie for 16th.
Jackson Runquist leads Fletcher boys
And there was nearly another state champion. Fletcher senior Jackson Runquist posted the day’s low round with a 67 and led the Senators to a school-record second place in the FHSAA Class 3A boys state golf tournament on Nov. 12, at the Mission Inn El Campeon Course.
Runquist, who eagled the par-4 sixth hole had a 36-hole total of 2-under-par 142 and finished two shots behind Hampton Beebe of Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer (68—140). Runquist followed his eagle with birdies at Nos. 8 and 10, then answered a bogey at the 13th hole with three birdies in a row, Nos. 14, 15 and 16.
However, Bebee birdied four of his first five holes and never let his lead slip below two shots.
Dwyer placed three players among the top-10 and won the team title at 11-over 587, topping Fletcher by 17 shots.
But it was the highest finish ever for the Senators in a state boys golf tournament. They were six shots clear of third-place Ponte Vedra and 10 ahead of Beachside, which tied for fourth with Viera.
Fletcher earlier won the Gateway Conference and District 3-3A titles.
Tocoi Creek finished eighth.
Nease senior Dmytro Kulyk, playing as an individual, posted back-to-back rounds 73 and finished alone in third at 2-over 146. Jonah Nacional of Beachside (73—147) tied for fourth to lead the Barracudas.
Ponte Vedra’s low player was James Nagle (76—149) in a tie for seventh.
Two more state tournaments remaining
The Class 1A boys and girls state tournaments will be Nov. 14-15 and the Class 2A boys and girls will be Nov. 18-19, both at Mission Inn.
Fleming Island is going for a third state title in a row at the Class 2A tournament. The Golden Eagles won the 3A tournament in 2023 and the 2A tournament last year.
FHSAA Class 3A state golf tournament
At Mission Inn Resort, Howey-in-the-Hills
Boys, at El Campeon Course
Team leaders: 1. Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer 587, 2. Fletcher 604, 3. Ponte Vedra 610, T4. Beachside, Viera 614. Other area teams: 8. Tocoi Creek 617.
Top individuals: 1. Hampton Beebe (Dwyer) 140, 2. Jackson Runquist (Fletcher)142, 3. Dmytro Kulyk (Nease) 146. T4. Jonah Nacional (Beachside), Wylie Inman (Dwyer) 147.
Other area players: T7. James Nagle (Ponte Vedra) 149, T11. Charlie Hipp (Creekside), Jaspreet Kondal (Beachside), Brady Dougan (Tocoi Creek) 150, T19. Cooper Franklin (Ponte Vedra) 152, T29. Gavin Daino (Tocoi Creek) 154, T31. Jake Mason (Ponte Vedra), Easton Oliva (Ponte Vedra) 155, T34. Cole Slater (Fletcher), Ambrose Kinnare (Tocoi Creek), Jake Mergo (Fletcher), Mathis Toal (Fletcher), Samuel Ha (Beachside) 156.
Girls, at Las Colinas Course
Team leaders: 1. Parish 603, 2. Lake Nona 605, 3. Jupiter 624, 4. Winter Park 628, T5. Ponte Vedra, Steinbrenner 629. Other area teams: 11. Beachside 655, 15. Nease 678.
Top individuals: 1. Sofia Rivera (Beachside) 137, 2. Phah Smitasin (Winter Park) 141, 3. Hannah Hall (Viera) 144, T4. Alexandra Snyder (Lake Nona), Avery Banfill (Parrish 145.
Other area players: T16. Charlotte Xia (Ponte Vedra) 150, T23. Stella Moritz (Ponte Vedra) 153, T31. Alexia Iordonov (Beachside) 155, T40. Sophia Cavanagh (Nease) 158.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Beachside’s Sofia Rivera captures 3A state girls golf championship; Fletcher boys finish second
Reporting by Garry Smits, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
