The last time Notre Dame Prep won a state championship, most of the current golfers on the team were in preschool. The Saints brought home titles in 2008, 2009 and 2014 with all three trophies won under Hall of Fame head coach Shelley Dinges and one of her top golfers, Haley Kapanicas, took fifth place to help the Saints win in 2014. Coincidently, Kapanicas is a current assistant coach under head coach Trey Terry.

The Saints beat the field by 21 strokes this week at the Aguila Golf Course in Laveen to win the fourth championship in program history and Chaparral took second place after winning it all last year.

The Saints were led by sisters Olivia Richardson (71-67: 138) and Lauren Richardson (67-75: 142) who finished in the top two spots. Lauren, only a freshman, led most of the tournament until her junior sister made a move with four birdies down the stretch, including a 20-foot putt on the 18th green to cap off her victory on Tuesday.

The Saints will lose Brooke White (97-89: 186) to graduation but the Richardson sisters will return along with sophomore Emi Hartman (82-83: 165) and Claire Decaussin (83-85: 168).

 

Chaparral. (Andy Morales Photo/AZPreps365)

 

TEAM SCORES

1 Notre Dame Prep 613 (+37)

2 Chaparral 634

3 Salpointe Catholic 657

3 Desert Mountain 657

5 Ironwood Ridge 686

6 Prescott 728

7 Canyon del Oro 739

8 Eastmark 741

8 ALA Gilbert North 741

10 Arcadia 771

11 Horizon 774

12 Rincon University 785

 

Individual medalists from right to left. (Andy Morales Photo/AZPreps365)

 

INDIVIDUAL MEDALISTS

1 Olivia Richardson, Jr.  Notre Dame Prep 71-67: 138 (-6)

2 Lauren Richardson, Fr, Notre Dame Prep 67-75: 142 (-2)

3 Samantha Saxon, Jr. Salpointe Catholic 73-73: 146

3 Ariela Renee Trejo, Jr. Rincon University 72-74: 146

3 Yuer Li, So. Chaparral 72-74: 146

6 Lexi Goyen, Sr. ALA 74-73: 147

7 Ivy Rowen, So. Thunderbird 74-74: 148

8 Calleigh McMahon, Sr. Ironwood Ridge 76-73: 149

9 Mischa Wang, So. Desert Mountain 78-73: 151

10 Antoinette Dreier, Sr. Arcadia 74-78: 152