Oct. 31—The Lee County women’s golf team completed its season Monday and Tuesday with an appearance in the NCHSAA 3A state championships at the Longleaf Golf and Family Club in Southern Pines.
The Lady Yellow Jackets, who finished second in the Central Regional a week ago, earned a spot in the state championship through that performance and finished in the state top 10 for the second year in a row. Over the two days, Lee County shot 276 and then 277 for a two-day total of 553.
Leading the way for the Lady Jackets was senior Sydney Pomeranz, who shot 87-86 and finished in 19th place overall. Pomeranz won the regional title last week and also competed in the championship a year ago, when she placed 38th on a Lee team that finished ninth overall.
Also competing in the finals for Lee this season were sophomore Savannah Phillips, who shot 93-91; junior Mary Thomas Smith, who shot 96-100; junior Laney Laudate, who shot 104-106; and junior Lauren Sloan, who shot 120-105.
Two Union Pines golfers qualified as individuals for the championship tournament. Freshman Aleah Farlow shot 98-86 in her finals debut and Celine Trumm shot 98-94. Scotland’s Claire Smith tied with Trumm by shooting 92-100.
During the regular season, Lee was the top 3A team and second overall in the Sandhills Athletic Conference to Pinecrest. The Patriots were competing Monday and Tuesday at Pinehurst No. 6 in the 4A championship and three-peated as state champions by seven strokes over runner-up Charlotte Catholic.
In the 3A championship, South Point narrowly edged the overnight leaders Lake Norman Charter to win the first women’s golf championship in school history.
The Red Raiders posted a team score of 510, just one stroke clear of Lake Norman Charter after trailing them by four at the end of the first day. Southern Alamance finished in third with a score of 518 and Croatan and Stuart Cramer rounded out the top five.
South Point was led by Madison Pruden as she finished in fifth place on the individual leaderboard with rounds of 77 and 81. Fellow junior Sophia Travenski added a 15th place finish after firing an 82 in the second round. Lake Norman Charter was led by sophomore Caitlyn Frisch, who finished in eighth place.
On the individual leaderboard, Jacksonville’s Sanaa Carter, who finished as runner-up in each of the last three championships, came out on top this year with a three-over-par, 147. She posted a one-under, 71 in the first round to take a six-shot lead into the second round and held that lead through Tuesday’s round. The win is the first individual Women’s Golf Championship for Jacksonville.
