Role reversal: Xavier wrests D-I golf title from Hamilton

October 29, 2011 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Xavier Prep flip-flopped on Satuday. Not a political position, but on the golf course.

Xavier regained the Division I golf title it lost to Hamilton last year, edging out the Huskies by four shots for the team title and crowning a new individual champ at Aguila Golf Course in Laveen.

Sarah Schmelzel was the key flip-flopper for Xavier. The senior, who was the individual runner-up last year to Hamilton's Kyung Kim, fired a 6-under par 66 on Saturday. It gave her a two-day total of 137 -- 7-under -- enough to edge out Kim who finished at 139. Rounding out the top five teams was Pinnacle (671), Cienega (678) and Chaparral (680). The team championship was Xavier's 100th, counting all sports it participates in.

"Sarah was the only player we had back from last year that played at state, and we needed her to play well," Xavier co-coach Sister Lynn Winsor, who along with Tui Selvaratnam mentor the Gators, said. "We had two freshman, a sophomore and a junior who hadn't played at state before. Sarah gave us some great leadership today."

Schmelzel, who carded six birdies and one bogey, said the difference in her rounds of 71 (Friday) and 66 came down to putting.

"(Friday) I was all around the hole, the putts just didn't drop," Schmelzel said. "I had little tap-ins for par. I made a lot of putts today. I even made a couple long ones... This was a goal from my freshman year. Win state."

Kim, who guided Hamilton to the dethroning of Xavier last year, scored two under-par rounds of 69 and 70. While that would make many a golfer happy, not so for Kim.

"I was kind of disappointed," Kim said. "I made a couple little mistakes. I didn't play as well as I'd have liked."

Hamilton coach Kevin Krahenbuhl didn't have a problem with his team's play in the tournament, especially the second round.

"We played well and gave them a run today," Krahenbuhl said. "If they played better overall, that's OK. I can live wwith that."

Hamilton made up three of the seven-stroke deficit from Friday and equaled Xavier's first-round total of 292 on Saturday.

First-round leader Madison Kerley, one of Xavier's two freshman and the first-round leader with 68, shot 76 on Saturday. She was 4-over after two holes and was even-par the rest of the way. A good way to rebound for a freshman. Ariana Macioce (75-73), Anne Straneva (78-80) and Katie Dunaway (86-81) supported their top-scoring teammates.

Finishing third with solid rounds of 70 and 71 was Chaparral's Jacquie LeMarr. Fourth was Hamilton's Mikayla Harmon at 142. Harmon was 3-under Saturday, including an eagle on the 17th, a short par 4 with water deterring most players from going at the green off the tee. Kerley was the only other player even par or below, finishing even at 144.