By:  J. Daniel Pearson

The historic season for St. Cloud High School golf reached a successful conclusion this year when both the Bulldog girls’ and boys’ teams posted top 10 finishes at the FHSAA Class 3A State Championship at Mission Inn Resort.

The Bulldogs were the dominant county teams throughout the year, easily winning OBC Championships. Playing in difficult districts, both teams advanced to regionals with runner-up finishes, before each advanced to states via at large bids after top five finishes in the most highly-ranked and stacked regional in the state.

At the two-day FHSAA State Tournament (Nov. 19-20), the Lady Bulldogs shot 336-324-660 to finish 10th in the state. Nearby Lake Nona (304-296-600), who competed in same district as St. Cloud in both regionals and districts, won the state championship over Lake Mary (616) by six shots.  Jupiter, another team in the Lady Bulldogs regional, was fourth.

Freshman Abigail Murphy led the Lady Bulldogs with a two-day total of 81-71-152, which was good for 31st place overall.  Murphy’s level par 71 on day two tied for the 7th best round of the day.   Maddie Burda, another freshman, shot 76-79-155 for a tie for 38th place; while junior Karolyna Adams (83-80-163) was 56th.  Nadia Burda finished 86th and Olivia Siegel was 88th overall.

Lake Nona freshman Alexandra Snyder (70-70-140) won a playoff against Viera’s Hannah Hall and Jupiter’s Zoe Shamy to claim individual medalist honors.  

The Lady Bulldogs, who finished fourth at the state championship last year, became the first team in Osceola County history (boys or girls) to qualify for the state championship four years in a row.  With four underclassmen in the lineup, St. Cloud should make a strong run at a fifth state championship appearance next year.

On the boys’ side, the Bulldogs rallied to shoot the fourth best team score on day two to finishing 323-311-634 and claim seventh place overall.  Viera (293-298-591) claimed the 3A boys title over Lakewood Ranch (302-296-598).

In 20th place overall, junior Ethan Parrish (76-75-151) was the top finisher for St. Cloud; while freshmen Arnold Pouncy IV (76-75-151) and Dominick Velazquez (81-79-160) finished 47th and 49th respectively over the tough par 71, El Campeon Course.    Espn Pool (164) was 65th and Wyatt Wheeler (183) was 94th for St. Cloud.

With four underclassmen in the line-up, the Bulldogs boys team will also have an opportunity to advance to states for a second consecutive year and third time in four years next season.

For individual championship honors, Winter Haven’s Anthony Monteleone (71-70-141) shot one under for the two-day championship but still had to win a three-way playoff with West Orange’s Shawn Coutloff and Lakewood Ranch’s Parker Severs to take medalist honors.

“Absolutely, I am incredibly proud of both teams,” St. Cloud athletics director Bryan Smart said.  “We had to find new head coaches for both teams this year and they still won OBC Championships and fought their way through districts and regionals. Against the state’s best, they recorded top 10 finishes.  It was a tremendous season on the course, but more importantly they are all great students and leaders. They are all great examples of what the St. Cloud High student athletes are all about.”