District High School Golf: Which teams, individual golfers are headed to the regional tournament?

The postseason continues for area boys and girls golf teams, with district tournaments taking place this past week.

District 1-1A was split up between the girls playing on Monday at Eagle Springs Golf Course in Defuniak Springs, while the boys teed off on Tuesday at the same course. District 1-2A saw both sides hit the links on Tuesday, but the boys played at Perdido Bay Golf Club while the girls were at Marcus Pointe Gulf Club. District 1-3A, also on Tuesday, had both the boys and girls at the Stonebrook Golf Club.

Escambia and Santa Rosa counties had plenty of golfers advance to their respective regional tournament, which will be hosted next week at various locations.

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For the boys, the Region 1-3A meet will be held on Tuesday at St. Johns Golf Course in St. Augustine. The Region 1-2A meet, hosted by West Florida, occurs on the same day at Perdido Bay. The Region 1-1A meet takes place on Monday from the Jacksonville Beach Golf Club.

For the girls, Class 3A heads to Hawkstone Golf and Country Club in Gainesville on Monday. Class 2A goes to Quail Heights Country Club in Lake City on Tuesday, while Class 1A will also be at Jacksonville Beach Golf Club on Monday.

The three lowest-scoring teams from each class’s district tournament will advance to the regional tournament. The three lowest-scoring individuals not part of those three teams will also head to the regional tournament.

Here are the results from the area district tournaments:

District 1-1A – Boys

Two Escambia County teams are heading to the regional tournament: Pensacola Catholic and Northview. The Crusaders were the top team at Eagle Springs Golf Club, scoring a team total 304, not only defending their title but winning their 18th District Championship in school history.

The Chiefs came in third with a 362, edging out area rival Jay, which shot a 370.

Pensacola Catholic’s Mac Gilmer was the low medalist in the tournament, shooting an even-par 71 (36, 35). Not far behind was teammate Hudson Mitchell, carding a 75. Wilmer Mitchell came in a tie for third with a 77.

Northview was led by Jack Boutwell, who tied for fifth, with a 79.

Jay’s Ty Posey qualified for the regional tournament as one of the top three golfers not on one of the top three teams. Posey finished in a tie for 13th with a score of 87.

Team scores – top-three finishers

1. Pensacola Catholic (304) – Mac Gilmer – 71, Hudson Mitchell – 75, Wilmer Mitchell – 77, Wyatt Hart – 81, Evan Covington – 82

2. Walton (326) – Jackson Ingram Clemmons – 77, Brody McCormick – 79, Xavier Schack – 85, Elijah Komondoreas – 85, Tanner Poole – 96

3. Northview (362) – Jack Boutwell – 79, Caden Pocopanni – 87, Brodie Rhodes – 96, Luke Godwin – 100, Miles Smith – 105

Team scores – other area finishers

4. Jay (370) – Ty Posey – 87, Tucker Harp – 91, Ryan Starosta – 95, Mason Allen – 97, Dawson McCollough – 98

11. Central (418) – Jon Smyly – 100, Kaden Matthew Ellison – 106, Joseph Bowman – 106, Kenneth Scott – 106, Aidan Roberson – 116

District 1-1A – Girls

It was a sweep in Class 1A as the Pensacola Catholic girls golf team also won its district tournament by over 70 strokes. The Crusaders shot a team 312, with all five golfers placing within the top 10 of the tournament.

However, Northview’s Anna Kunkel, a sophomore, was the area’s lowest score, shooting a two-under 69 on the day. She finished with three birdies on the back to go under par. The Chiefs finished second in the tournament, also securing a team spot in the regional tournament next week.

Pensacola Catholic was led by Florida Gulf Coast University commit Islay Benoit, who carded a one-under 70, shooting four birdies on the back 9 to finish under par.

The third team from District 1-1A, on the girls side, heading to the regional tournament is Holmes County, which finished second with a team score of 405.

Team scores – top-three teams

1. Pensacola Catholic (312) – Islay Benoit – 70, Elizabeth Palmer – 71, Rosie Langston – 83, Amelia McIntosh – 88, AnnaBelle Jacobson – 90

2. Northview (386) – Anna Kunkel – 69, Kendall Alvare – 91, Chloe Ragsdale – 105, Riley Dawson – 121, Avery Stuckey – 128

3. Holmes County (405) – Savannah Goodman – 66, Maycee Rhea Flanary – 91, Katelynn Riddell – 121, Kaylee Brown – 127

Team scores – other area finishers

8. Jay (550) – Darcy Locklin – 120, Natalie Hendricks – 142, Emily Burgess – 143, Layla McCullough – 145, Kinzie Nevels – 146

District 1-2A – Boys

The West Florida boys golf team secured its district title in dominating fashion, with three of the Jaguars’ golfers placing in the top four of the field. Bentley Van Pelt earned low medalist honors for the district, carding a 75 – just sneaking by Booker T. Washington’s Sammy Tucker, who shot a 76.

Van Pelt had an extra pair of birdies during the round that gave him the advantage, including a birdie on the first hole to start the day under par.

Ethan Conner wasn’t far behind the duo with a 78.

West Florida was the only area team to qualify for the regional tournament, with Arnold (331) and South Walton (336) securing the other two team spots.

Booker T.’s Tucker, Escambia’s Brighton Collins (81) and Choctaw’s Keegan Hindel (83) are the three individuals heading to the regional tournament.

Team scores – top-three teams

1. West Florida (317) – Bentley Van Pelt – 75, Ethan Conner – 78, Kasim Khaled – 79, Jaxson Cramer – 85, Devin Grandt – 85

2. Arnold (331) – Gage Williams – 79, Brady Lent – 84, Ethan MacGregor – 84, Gavin Plunkett – 84, Zach Hotop – 100

3. South Walton (336) – Bo Baxter – 79, William Mullins – 80, Trey West – 88, Lars Wiggins – 89, John Parker Sullivan – 93

Team scores – other area finishers

4. Escambia (351) – Brighton Collins – 81, Jackson Walters – 88, Carson Osborn – 88, Reid Shiver – 94, Brad Konrad – 102

6. Booker T. Washington (366) – Sammy Tucker – 76, Jack Floyd – 87, Keller Fairchild – 100, Anderson Lenga – 103, Anthony Kuba – 109

9. Pensacola (462) – Walton Buckley – 102, Landon Fernandez – 105, J.J. Solet – 126, Maxwell White – 129, Jaden Fernandez – 136

District 1-2A – Girls

Gabrielle Hultstrand led Pensacola High to a team total score of 417, enough to secure third place and a team spot in the regional tournament. Hulstrand was the low medalist at the metch with a 76.

West Florida’s Abby Vernier had two birdies on the last three holes, but ran out of time to catch up to Hultstrand. Both players shot a 41 on the front nine, but a double bogey on the par-4 14th hole for Vernier set her back. Otherwise, the duo were neck-and-neck the entire tournament.

West Florida missed out on the team designation for the regional tournament, but Vernier will go to regionals individually. Pine Forest’s Sarah Rudd (89) secured the third spot for the individuals headed to regionals. Also competing for Pine Forest were Anna Rudd (112) and Elizabeth Rudd (116).

Booker T. Washington also had a few golfers compete, but not enough for a team. Lyla Davis shot a 119, Peyton Dominguez carded a 138, and Adalena Lewis finished with a 146.

South Walton won the district title with a 328, and Fort Walton Beach took second with a 396.

Team scores – top-three teams

1. South Walton (328) – Lily Martin – 80, Ava Knight – 81, Vivan Harrison – 82, Mckazlyn Payne – 85, Lauren Cress – 92

2. Fort Walton Beach (396) – Juliana Hock – 80, Alyssia Hendriks – 100, Piper Lindsley – 101, Rooese Armstrong – 115, Victoria Torres – 126

3. Pensacola (417) – Gabrielle Hultstrand – 76, Evana Lin – 109, Molly Amjad – 112, Kaylee Nguyen – 120, Reena Lin – 128

Team scores – other area finishers

4. West Florida (486) – Abby Vernier – 77, Kaitlyn Roberts – 128, Destiny Owen – 140, Jaden Lee – 141, Savannah Vala – 147

5. Escambia (497) – Alyssa Ball-Armstrong – 118, Cameron Fields – 123, Madelynn Ladner – 126, Bella Walters – 130, Jocelyn Vickery – 134

District 1-3A – Boys

Just as they did during the summer during the Greater Pensacola Junior Golf Association summer circuit, Tate’s Jack Wallace and Pace’s Braden Duvall went head to head at the District 1-3A tournament.

A birdie on the par-5 ninth wound up being the difference-maker for Wallace, who shot a two-under 70 to secure the low medalist honors. Duvall came in a tie for second with a 71, alongside teammate Juday Talley, who recorded an eagle on the ninth hole to stay in contention with the leaders.

It was Pace that took the team title, however, with a team score of 288. Gulf Breeze (307) and Tate (316) are also headed to the regional tournament as a team.

Niceville’s Max Burrough (77), Mosley’s Michael Wong (80) and Niceville’s Sam Welde (82) were the top three individuals not on the top three teams.

Also competing were Milton’s Sayler Melton (95) and Reid Pace (101), but the Panthers didn’t field a team.

Team scores – top-three teams

1. Pace (288) – Braden Duvall – 71, Judah Talley – 71, Easton Viator – 72, Ian Jackson – 74, Troyce Perkins – 77

2. Gulf Breeze (307) – Clark Norris – 72, Mark Piver – 75, Parker Crain – 78, Evan LaFon – 82, Ryan Tracy – 82

3. Tate (316) – Jack Wallace – 70, Baylor Touchstone – 76, Landon Ray – 83, Gabe Patterson – 87, Ben Robinson – 94

Team scores – other area finishers

7. Navarre (366) – Chase Thomas – 87, Cruz Lazo – 89, Hayden Gruhn – 93, Logun Toney – 97, Ethan Erickson – 101

District 1-3A – Girls

Tate’s Eva Grissom was the area’s top finisher with a 78, placing third in the District 1-3A girls tournament. She led Tate to a third-place finish to send the Aggies to the regional tournament next week.

Gulf Breeze finished second as a team with a team score of 376, while Niceville claimed the district title with a 315. Gracie Grant, of Niceville, was the low medalist at the tournament with a 70.

Navarre’s Hailey Netro (85) was the Raiders’ lowest score, enough for sixth and a trip to the regional tournament. Milton’s Gabriela Wright, which had a few golfers compete but not enough to field a team, claimed the third individual spot for the regional tournament with an 87.

Riley Bounds was the top golfer for the Dolphins with an 86.

Team scores – top-three teams

1. Niceville (315) – Gracie Grant – 70, Cloe Rich – 76, Camryn Lux – 79, Ariel Kim – 90, Sierra Neitzke – 127

2. Gulf Breeze (376) – Riley Bounds – 86, Michelle Burt – 93, Adyson Virginia Davidson – 97, Claire Smith – 100, Angela Lorenzo-Arroyo Conill – 104

3. Tate (384) – Eva Grissom – 78, Talia Smith – 95, Kara Wine – 101, Lillie Hardy – 110, Jordan Smith – 114

Team scores – other area finishers

4. Pace (398) – Acey Anolik – 95, Isabella Ortiz – 97, Valentina Ortiz – 102, Marissa Skechak – 104, Gabriella Enumerables – 108

5. Navarre (401) – Hailey Netro – 95, Taylor Netro – 100, Ava Schreckengost – 104, Cadie May – 112, Layne Sproston – 114

Ben Grieco is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached on X (@BenGriecoSports) and via email at BGrieco@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Escambia, Santa Rosa County golf teams compete in district tournaments