The Division III State Golf Tournament is set for Monday (May 10) and Tuesday (May 11) at the OMNI Tucson National Sonoran Course. This spring, the top team from each of the seven sections will earn an automatic playoff berth along with eight at-large berths based on ranking.

Additionally, the top 15 individuals not attached to a playoff team will qualify as long as that player has seven qualifying rounds.

Valley Christian won back-to-back state championships in 2018 and 2019 but the Trojans were unable to defend their championships last year due to the cancelation of the season. Even better, the Trojans have seven state championships dating back to 2005 but Scott Longanecker coached six of those between 2013 and 2019.

A third place finish in 2012 started his streak and a runner-up finish to Northwest Christian in 2017 prevented an even longer championship run.

With all those team champions, only current Cal Baptist standout James Mackie won individual titles for the Trojans during the current streak. Mackie won in 2016 to become the only freshman to win a D-III championship and he won again as a senior.

Current Alabama standout Frankie Capan III won in 2017 and 2018 for Northwest Christian which means there will be a new individual champion this spring.

Scottsdale Prep senior standout Davis Johnson took second place in 2019 and he is currently ranked No. 2 in the state behind his sophomore teammate Adam Miller. Scottsdale Prep has seven players currently ranked in the top 10 and the team is far ahead of the field by over 11 Iwanamaker Rankings.

This is how the playoff picture looks as of Tuesday, April 12:

 

SECTION LEADERS (RANKING)

Section I: Payson (7)

Section II: Yuma Catholic (8)

Section III: Empire (24)

Section IV: Scottsdale Prep (1)

Section V: Sedona Red Rock (13)

Section VI: Arizona College Prep (2)

Section VII: ALA-Gilbert North (6)

 

AT-LARGE TEAMS (RANKING)

1: Valley Christian (3)

2: Fountain Hills (4)

3: Phoenix Country Day (5)

4: Pusch Ridge (9)

5: Basis Phoenix (10)

6: Snowflake (11)

7: Scottsdale Christian (12)

8: Northland Prep (14)

Four freshmen are currently inline for an at-large individual spot including Brantlee Howard of Rancho Solano Prep and four sophomores are also above the current cut line including Kaitlyn Stone of Northwest Christian.