For the third year in a row, the St. Cloud Bulldogs swept the Orange Belt Conference boys and girls golf championships, held Monday and Tuesday at Royal St. Cloud Golf Club.
While the win has become common, the dominance shown by St. Cloud was uncommon. Bulldogs took 10 of the 16 All-Conference positions between the teams.
Monday, St. Cloud senior Morgan Beaulieu birdied the 17th hole to shoot a one-over 73 and edge Celebration freshman Adrianna Leon by one stroke to capture her fourth OBC girls title, believed to be the first time that's happened.
“This feels great,” Beaulieu said. “I really didn’t have my best game today but I made a few birdies and grinded out pars when I had to.”
In the team competition, St. Cloud won placed four golfers in the top six for a 324 to outdistance Celebration (345). Harmony was third at 399.
Leon had a one-shot lead at the turn, 37-38, but Beaulieu grabbed the lead with a pair of pars on the 10th and 11th holes, but Leon made a sensational up-and-down from off the 12th green to square the match. Both golfers birdied the 13th and the match remained tied until 17, when Beaulieu’s approach landed just three feet left of the pin, and she calmly tapped in for a one-shot lead, and she put the match away on 18 with another fine approach shot.
“We played a couple of times this year and she’s a really good young player,” Beaulieu said of the freshman Leon. “She kept her composure throughout.”
Leon added that she was happy with her second place finish. “I really had a good round today,” she said. “I felt I drove the ball really well and made some good putts.”
“Really a tribute to all the girls,” St. Cloud Head Coach Jim Endicott said of the Bulldogs’ team finish and defending victory. “They are one of the hardest working groups I have ever had. They are out here at the golf course every day, even on weekends trying to get better.”
Five St. Cloud golfers earned All-OBC honors for placing in the top eight. In additional to Beaulieu, Jenna Barnett took third place with a 77, Tess Shieve (85) was fifth, Nadia Burda (89) sixth and Cayden Challacombe (91) tied for seventh.
Natalie Quinones captured fourth place overall for the Storm with an 81. Harmony’s Jordan Pigeon tied for seventh with a 91.
The boys event had some uncommon drama as well, as Bulldogs Austin Price, Gunner Green and Alexander Owen all shot 74, one behind the one-over 73 of medalist George Aguilera of Celebration. Eric Hernandez and Chad Knollinger added 77s to also make the All-Conference team and give St. Cloud a 299 team score to outpace Celebration (326) and Harmony (406).
Poinciana's Malachi Green (76) and Celebration's Jeremiah Bianchi (79) also fired All-Conference rounds.
All county teams return to action next week at district competition. Royal St. Cloud will host the District 3A-10 tournaments on Monday (boys) and Tuesday (girls) at 8 a.m. The Lady Bulldogs are expected to battle Lake Nona for the district title. “They have shot a little better average than we have,” Endicott added. “But we have the match at home and if it should be a close match.”
Celebration's girls (Monday) and boys (Tuesday) compete in the 3A-11 tournament at Cleveland Heights in Lakeland.
The top three teams and three individuals not on those teams advance to regional competition.
