The final round of the Class 4A state tournament didn’t go exactly as Guyer wanted, but its boys and girls teams left the University of Texas Golf Club in the gloaming Tuesday with the satisfaction of a successful season and a huge step forward for the program.
The Guyer boys, who started the day a distant third behind Austin Vandegrift — which was playing on its home course — and defending champion Highland Park, faltered while playing in the leaders group and finished in a tie for sixth with Montgomery with a team total of 631 — 47 shots off the pace.
The Wildcats were led by a 151 from Garrett Underwood (73-78), but four of the five Guyer players scored higher in the second round than they did in the first.
“I’m disappointed in the way we played today because I thought we could stay with the leaders well enough to get a spit on the podium and medal,” Guyer coach Rodney Adams said. “Our guys are used to playing in big two-day tournaments, but the crowds out here and pressure of playing with the leading group may have had an effect on the team.
“I would have liked to have a little more knowledge about the course, but I’m sure that everyone other than Vandegrift is saying the same thing right about now.”
Vandegrift posted a 16-over-par 584, which was 17 shots better than Highland Park (601). Cedar Park roared up the board in the second round to capture third place at 614, with Trophy Club Nelson fourth at 617 and San Antonio Alamo Heights fifth at 630.
Texas signee Scottie Scheffler of Highland Park won the boys individual title for the third consecutive year, carding a 1-over 72 to go with the tournament-best 66 he shot Monday to finish at 138. Vandegrift’s William Martinez was second at 144, followed by Cooper Dossey of Vandegrift and Hayden Springer of Nelson, who tied at 145.
The girls team championship was captured by Huntsville, which carded a 70-over 646 to win by 10 strokes over Montgomery (656) and 15 shots over Humble Kingwood (661). The top three teams were from Region III.
The Guyer girls improved by 22 strokes over their score in the first round but still finished 12th of 12 teams at 170-over 746 — an even 100 shots behind the winning squad.
Piper Gleadhill forged the best round of any Lady Wildcat, backing up her 89 on Monday with an 84 in the final round.
Allison Flack, the lone senior on the Guyer girls team, said she was proud to have been a part of the first girls team from Denton to play in the state tournament since 1986.
“We have come so far in the past four years and even in the last year,” said Flack, who shot an 18-over 90 on Tuesday — eight strokes better than in round one. “This team is establishing a legacy for those that follow. Yes, we took some lumps here this week, but we got better and never stopped trying.”
The individual title went to Aledo’s Cheyenne Knight (74-70) at even-par 144. Knight, a junior who will attend Alabama, rolled in a 35-foot birdie on the final hole to cement the crown and finalize her second round at 2 under — the only score under par for a girl in the tournament.
Courtney Tibiletti of Huntsville finished four strokes back in second at 148. Her second-round 72 was the only score at par in the girls competition. Frisco Liberty’s Devin Edwards (75-77) was third at 152.
