St. Cloud regional runner-up, returns to 3A state girls golf tournament

  • ! The St. Cloud girls golf team (L to R: Coach Alejandro Sanchez, Olivia Seigel, Tess Sheive, Cayden Challacombe, Maddie Burda and Karolyna Adams) finished tied for first in the FHSAA Region 2 Championship to become the third consecutive St. Cloud girls team to qualify for the state championship. PHOTO/RYAN ADAMS
    ! The St. Cloud girls golf team (L to R: Coach Alejandro Sanchez, Olivia Seigel, Tess Sheive, Cayden Challacombe, Maddie Burda and Karolyna Adams) finished tied for first in the FHSAA Region 2 Championship to become the third consecutive St. Cloud girls team to qualify for the state championship. PHOTO/RYAN ADAMS
  • Cayden Challacombe unleashed a hybrid from the 16th fairway at Royal St. Cloud. The senior posted an 84 to help St. Cloud advance to the state championships for a record third consecutive year. PHOTO/J. DANIEL PEARSON
    Cayden Challacombe unleashed a hybrid from the 16th fairway at Royal St. Cloud. The senior posted an 84 to help St. Cloud advance to the state championships for a record third consecutive year. PHOTO/J. DANIEL PEARSON

    While Lake Nona defeated St. Cloud in a one-hole playoff for the Class 3A, Region 2 golf championship Tuesday at Royal St. Cloud Golf Club,  the disappointment was minor: the Lady Bulldogs became the first high school golf team from Osceola County to qualify for the FHSAA state championships for three consecutive years.

    It’s the continuation of a great season for the Lady Bulldogs, who won their own invitational in September as well as Orange Belt Conference and 3A, District 7 championships in October.

    Sophomore Karolyna Adams led the way with a two-over par 74, good for ninth overall.  Other counting scores came from freshman Maddie Burda (80); and seniors Tess Sheive and Cayden Challacombe (84s).

    East Ridge’s Alex Remaklus took medalist honors with a nifty four-under-par 68.

    Viera missed making it a three-way playoff by finishing just one stroke behind (323).

    In 2022, the Lady Bulldogs finished in 10th place in the Class 3A state that was shortened to one round by the arrival of Hurricane Nicole.  Two years ago, they were 12th thanks to a fourth-place finish from Morgan Beaulieu, a current starter on Arkansas State’s women’s golf team. That’s the highest state finish by an Osceola County girls golfer.

    The 16-team state tournament is next week, Nov. 10-11, at the Mission Inn and Resort Golf Club in Howey-In-The-Hills.

    In boys’ golf, St. Cloud and Celebration participated in the Region 2 Championship on Monday at the Orange Lake’s Legends Golf Club.  Considered the toughest region in the state, that tournament featured five of the top 12 ranked teams in the state, and 10 different golfers finished at par or better.

    Despite solid rounds by Alexander Owen (73), Ethan Parrish (74) and Espn Pool (76), St. Cloud (318, ninth) did not advance, nor did Celebration (322, 10th). But the Storm’s Aguilera had an outstanding tournament, finding himself in a four-way tie for fourth with a two-under 70. But he lost in a playoff for an automatic at-large berth to the state tournament and now will have to wait until the final regional rankings come out to see if he’s earned an at at-large spot in the state tournament.