HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS — After rallying to second, just two strokes behind, going into Day 2 of the Class 2A Golf State Championships at Mission Inn Golf Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Bishop Moore coach Marvin Snyder said his guys “felt good and were confident.”
But a tough stretch on the back nine of the El Campeon Course set the Hornets back in the standings, and they could only rebound to fourth place with a two-day score of 601 (+25).
They finished 12 shots behind champion Coral Springs Charter on Wednesday.
“It was a tough day,” Snyder said. “In the first nine holes, we were in a battle, but the back nine didn’t go our way with some bad breaks.”
Among the bad breaks was the tee shot for junior Jack Mokris, who finished third individually with a second straight round of 71.
He was in the running to improve upon his runner-up finish last year when Bishop Moore won the 2A title after birdies on 3 of 5 holes, but the tee shot on the 17th hole, a par-5, just leaked off the fairway on the right next to a small tree with low branches.
After a punch-out to the fairway, he dropped a 190-yard approach to about 15 feet behind the hole, but was unable to drain another birdie.
“I feel I could have been closer if my tee shot was better,” Mokris said. “I played the last three holes so well with my irons, driver and putter. It’s been a solid two years (at state) and this gives me motivation going into next year.”
Motivation was a theme for the Hornets as they also got a third-place individual on the girls side at the Las Colinas Course.
Freshman Abigail Royer followed up her 75 on Day 1 with an even-par 71 to finished tied for third, while the Bishop Moore girls team placed eighth.
“I had a great start to my back nine with birdies on 9 and 10,” Royer said. “My season started slow with me shooting in the low 40s and high 30s (for nine holes), but I started learning the playing patterns, and I’m happy with how the season ended. This gives me motivation for next year.”
Hornets coach Margaret Bennett added that Royer pushed their senior No. 1 player, Emma Sanabria, all season.
“I think (Royer) helped motivate Emma,” Bennett said. “She just loves golf, and she’s a delight to be around.”
Sanabria finished tied for 19th with 154. The individual girls champ was Fleming Island’s Sophia Moody, who shot 66 on Wednesday for a two-round total of 139. Downtown Doral won the girls team title.
The boys individual champ was South Fork’s Gatlin Albright, who placed his approach shot on 18 about 3 feet from the hole, and drained the easy birdie to win by one stroke.
In its first state finals appearance as a team, the Eustis boys had a score of 612 to place seventh with senior Taylor Hayes tying for 16th with 151 (76-75). Freshman Bobby Jones Potash and senior Ryan Jeffers were both one stroke behind Hayes.