Kyung Kim, Hamilton end Xavier mastery of big school golf

October 30, 2010 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Hamilton's Kyung Kim wasn't going to have to shoot a fantastic round Saturday to hold on to her lead at the Division I state girls golf tournament at Dell Urich Golf Course in Tucson.

Kim didn't match her opening round 64, but an even-par 70 was good enough to prevail and lead Hamilton to the team title over Xavier in the two-team race for big-school supremacy.

It was the first girls golf title for Hamilton, which ended Xavier's streak of 12 consecutive titles fashioned from 1998-2009. Hamilton came up little short off knocking off Xavier last year, but with nearly a full returning lineup back to try again this year, the Huskies were up to the task.

Kim totaled 134 for the 36 holes, 6-under par for the tournament. She was the only player under par. Xavier's Sarah Schmelzel shot a pair of even-par 70s to finish second. Hamilton's Younjin Kim and Saki Iida were third and fourth, respecitivley, at 142 and 144, Last year's big-school champion, Xavier's Kaira Martin, tied Iida for 4th at 144. Corona del Sol's Dana Finkelstein, who shot the best round of the day Saturday with a 69, finished at 145.

DIVISION II

Catalina Foothills senior Laura Jabczenski, who won the 4A-I state title last year, and Cienega's Jordan Carter tied for individual honors at the Division II girls state golf tournament at Silverbell Golf Course in Tucson.

Since there was no provision a playoff, they were declared co-state champions after shooting identical rounds of 71 and 74 for a 145 total. That was 5-over par for the 36-hole tournament.

Catalina Foothills' consistency in team play earned it the team title as the Falcons shot 323 for the second straight day to best Cienega by 18 shots. Cienega was just five shots behind after Friday's first round, but couldn't mount a charge to overcome the Falcons on the final day.