Pre-tournament boys' team favorite Hamilton lived up to moniker Friday after the first round of the two-day, 36-hole Antigua High School Invitational at Whirlwind Golf Club. There was a surprise, however, in who led the Huskies' to the first-round lead on the Cattail course.

"The story of the day for us was one of our two freshmen, Vincent Cervantes," Hamilton coach Steve Kanner said. "He posted our best score. We have three guys back from last year who are very good players. They scored well. Can play better, but today a freshman stood out."

Hamilton''s first-round score was 5-under 283. Last year's returning trio -- Anawin Pikulthong, Mahanth Chirravuri and Johnny Walker - shot 70, 71 and 73 respectively. Walker is the defending tournament champ and defending Division I state champ.'

The Huskies lead second-place Brophy (290) and third-place Arcadia (297). Cervantes shot 3-under 69 and made a bid on his back-nine with four birdies to get a share of the individual lead, but fell a stroke short. The first-round lead is shared by three players with 68s -- Notre Dame Prep's Cade Anderson, Brophy Prep's Cameron Kaiser and Pinnacle's Joseph Lloyd. Anderson was 4-under on his front nine and even on the back. A double bogey was his only blemish. Kaiser was steady with one bogey, an eagle and three birdies. Lloyd carded four birdies on the front nine and birdie and bogey on the back.

Notre Dame Prep's Cade Anderson reacts to his putt  on 18. He shares 1st-round lead. (AzPreps365 photo)

Four other players shot 69 - Cactus Shadows Blake Hammarstrom, Brophy's Charlie Palmer, Sandra Day O'Connor's Max Lyons and Casteel's Wyatt Champman. The only other player under-par was Seton Catholic's Nik Kittilson (71).

GIRLS ANTIGUA INVITATIONAL

Pinnacle, who the High School Golf National Invitational title in Pinehurst, N.C. last month, has the lead after the first round at Whirlwind's Devil's Claw course. Senior Katie Stinchcomb carded a 3-under 69 for the day's individual honors as the tournament lead shifted several times among Stinchcomb, teammate Carolyn Fuller and Casteel's Kaylin Johnson.

Stinchcomb bobbed and weaved during her front nine for an even-par 36 with four birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey. Her back nine boosted her to the top -- three birdies and no bogeys. One shot back of Stinchcomb is Cactus Shadows' Kylee Loewe (70). Pinnacle's Kyla Wilde (one-under 71) and Fuller (even par 72) guided the Pioneers to a six-over, 294. Xavier Prep is second (299), followed by Cactus Shadows (302) and Hamilton (306).

The rest of the girls top nine are Xavier's Ivy Song and Cactus Shadows' Calynne Rosholt at 72; Hamilton's Madeline Adam (73); Xavier's Jayden Jevnick (74) and Casteel's Johnson (75).

The final round tees off for both boys and girls on the respective courses Saturday at 6:30 a.m.