GAMES
RANKINGS
The Alamo Heights girls golf program claims its third-consecutive Class 5A State Title
THE RECAP: Review of UIL State Girls Golf Tournament; Vandegrift, Alamo Heights take gold
San Antonio Reagan and Coppell would follow shortly after, while Kingwood -- led by bronze medalist Bella Flores --finished as the highest-ranked team out of Houston, in fifth place.
The back-to-back UIL-6A champs -- Vandegrfit VipersPhoto acquired via Instagram (@vipergolf)
Meanwhile, Alamo Heights would become back-to-back-to-back champions in Class 5A, thanks to the exceptional talent displayed by Julia Vollmer, Kat Salisbury, and Lindsay lee.
Frisco Centennial would take silver, and featured the individual state champion, Tarini Bhoga, who shot for a total of 136.
Additionally, Amarillo, Colleyville Heritage, and Friendswood would round out the state's top-five.
Other noteworthy performances came from Comal Pieper's Dresden Bounds, Isabel Emanuels (Westlake), Lydia Portlock (SA Reagan), Charlee Thacker (Amarillo), Daneila Palmeros (Jersey Village), Madeline Buckley (Magnolia West), Addie Surber (Lake Creek), and San Antonio Reagan's Danielle Bailey, among others.
With that in mind, here is a break-down of the plethora of Houston-area golfers to excel at State.
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Kingwood's Bella Flores takes bronze in Class 6APhoto taken by Marcus Gutierrez of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter: @MarcG14Line)
CLASS 6A GIRLS GOLF (HOUSTON AREA)
(Teams)
5th Place (Total Score: 613): Kingwood Mustangs (Bella Flores, Khloe Jones, Cameron Stewart, Mariana Hernandez, Gabriela Sison)
8th Place (Total Score: 637): The Woodlands Highlanders (Veronika Exposito, Charolette Stick, Claire Smith, Blythe Bowman, Tate Hutcheson)
10th Place (Total Score: 650): Fort Bend Clements Rangers (Katelyn Lam, Savannah Du, Angela Cui, Annika Shetty, Sophia Liu)
11th Place (Total Score: 653): Tomball Cougars (Regina Cantu, Casandra Cantu, Makenzie Minshew, Sarah Pace, Rafa Vintamilla)
12th Place (Total Score: 657): Katy Jordan Warriors (Rumi Kurihara, Abbi Nelson, Jennie Dong, Candelaria Carlevaro, Leia McKenzie)
(Individual Finishers)
*Several golfers had the same final score, so there will be "T" before their placement to indicate the tie, and are placed according to the UIL Live Results
T-3rd Place (143): Bella Flores, Kingwood
T-5th Place (144): Daniela Palmeros, Jersey Village
T-9th Place (146): Zoë Hobbs, Klein Cain
15th Place (147): Veronika Exposito, The Woodlands
T-21st Place (150): Jannel Calixterio, Westfield
T-23rd Place (151): Cameron Stewart, Kingwood
T-27th Place (152): Regina Cantu, Tomball
T-29th Place (153): Khloe Jones, Kingwood
T-32nd Place (156): Jasmine Do, Bridgeland
T-34th Place (158): Taylor Horacefield, Clear Springs
T-34th Place (158): Rumi Kurihara, Katy Jordan
T-37th Place (159): Abbi Nelson, Katy Jordan
T-41st Place (161): Blythe Bowman, The Woodlands
T-41st Place (161): Kara Holm, Ridge Point
T-45th Place (162): Katelyn Lam, Fort Bend Clements
T-48th Place (164): Savannah Du, Fort Bend Clements
T-48th Place (164): Tate Hutcheson, The Woodlands
T-48th Place (164): Sophia Liu, Fort Bend Clements
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CLASS 5A GIRLS GOLF (HOUSTON AREA)
(Teams)
5th Place (Total Score: 643): Friendswood Mustangs (Mary Kerr, Margaret Kerr, Trinity Bosley, Katherin Janda, Mary Scheschuk)
8th Place (Total Score: 654): Lake Creek Lions (Addie Surber, Sonja Tibbetts, Evangelina Stowers, Brooke Mills, Kylie Ellegood)
11th Place (Total Score: 675): Montgomery Bears (Jordyn Herridge, Addison Payne, Ava Winfield, Carsyn Thomas, Taren Suffield)
(Individual Results)
*Several golfers had the same final score, so there will be "T" before their placement to indicate the tie, and are placed according to the UIL Live Results
4th Place (144): Madeline Buckley, Magnolia West
T-5th Place (145): Addie Surber, Lake Creek
T-16th Place (150): Jordyn Herridge, Montgomery
T-19th Place (152): Mary Kerr, Friendswood
T-21st Place (154): Jacqueline Lawrence, Barbers Hill
32nd Place (160): Sonja Tibbetts, Lake Creek
36th Place (163): Trinity Bosley, Friendswood
T-37th Place (164): Katherine Janda, Friendswood
T-37th Place (164): Margaret Kerr, Friendswood
46th Place (167): Addison Payne, Montgomery
T-47th Place (168): Evangelina Stowers, Lake Creek
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George Ranch sophomore Melanie Maier.
Longhorns sophomore Maier makes history en route to state
Maier is the first George Ranch golfer, boy or girl, to make it to the state tournament in Class 6A. She finished third at the Region III-6A meet last month to advance to state, teeing off Monday at Legacy Hills Golf Club in Georgetown.
“I love making my school proud of me and I’m glad I get to represent George Ranch,” Maier said. “I just want to go out there, play my own golf and see where I stand. State is like any other tournament. I’ve played with a lot of these girls outside of school, so a lot of it is familiar to me.”
As a freshman, Maier finished in the top 20 at regionals, shooting the same two-round score she did this year (154). It took a second-day flourish last year to make top 20. She shot five-over-par 77 on both days this year to medal.
“Last year, I don’t think I really thought I could make it,” Maier said. “This year, I felt I could go out there and qualify for state. Last year, I was so worried about making state as a freshman and trying to wow everyone. This year, I was able to worry about myself and not worry about expectations.”
Maier is continuing a family legacy on the links.
Her older brother Matthew, class of 2018, went to state as a freshman when the Longhorns made it as a team in 2015. Her younger brother, Mitchell, is a freshman who tied for 20th at regionals with a two-day score of 162.
“I believe golf, at a minimum, is 51 percent mental,” Del Rosario said. “As far as physically, knowing her dad and Matthew and Mitchell, they can all play. But Melanie is strong mentally. She’s quiet, never gets too emotional. There’s an internal confidence, but she is cool, calm and collected.”
George Ranch sophomore Melanie Maier.VYPE Media
Maier loves the challenge golf awards her.
“There’s always something better to do; there’s always something to fix,” she said. “It’s constantly changing.”
Maier is adept at focusing on her own game, rather than concerning herself with competitors and their play. She hits a lot of fairways. Her short game is good. She is confident out of the bunker.
Maier has learned from both brothers. From Matthew, she studied what she should and shouldn’t do. Matthew was a long hitter who didn’t hit fairways. He taught her to hit the ball straight rather than far.
In Mitchell, Maier admires his confidence.
“Golf kind of just runs in the family,” Maier said. “When it comes down to it, we all love playing together and spending that time together on the golf course.”
Right now, Maier has the upper hand. Yes, Matthew made it to state, but it is more difficult, Del Rosario said, to qualify for state as an individual than as a member of a team. Mitchell figures to eventually make it to state sooner than later. He’s well on his way.
But for now, it’s Melanie’s time to shine.
“Get out of her way,” Del Rosario said, laughing, when asked what his message will be for his star player leading up to state. “I really mean that. Obviously, I’m there if she needs me. But what she needs sometimes is for me to get out of the way, and then if she needs me she’ll let me know. Once we step onto the course, I know she’ll do her thing.”