1A/2A Championships
Hamm wins Jackson Day’s first NCHSAA title, Pine Lake Prep repeats
In the 1A/2A Championships at Sapona Golf Club (Par 71, 5,507 yards), Pine Lake Prep won its second consecutive Women’s Golf Championship by 19 strokes. The Pride was led by sophomore Paisley Freda, who finished in fourth place after a pair of 81s. Freshman Celina Ahn came in 15th and sophomore Taylor Pike finished in 37th.
Avery County finished in second place, three shots ahead of East Rutherford while East Surry and West Lincoln completed the top five. Second place through fifth place were separated by just six strokes.
On the individual leaderboard, Jackson Day School’s Landry Hamm earned the school’s first NCHSAA championship in any sport as she posted a 157, three shots clear of Avery County’s Sydney Kulhan in second place. Hamm’s 76 on Tuesday was one of just three rounds in the 70s in the tournament.
The defending champion, Malerie Lague from Christ the King, finished in third place, four shots off the pace. Gray Stone Day senior Hannah Lineberry finished in fifth place and posted the best round of the championship with a 75 on day one.
The NCHSAA is committed to recognizing outstanding sportsmanship in each of our State Championship events. The Association has partnered with the North Carolina Farm Bureau to award a pair of Sportsmanship Awards at each championship event, recognizing players who have demonstrated the ideals of outstanding character and sportsmanship throughout the 2024 season. The winners of the 1A/2A Women’s Golf NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Awards are Paisley Freda from Pine Lake Prep and Erika Ralston from Avery County.
3A Championships
South Point wins first title, Carter breaks through
In the 3A Championship at Longleaf Golf and Family Club (Par 72, 5,503 yards), 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. 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 has 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.
Hibriten’s Trinity White finished in solo second with a score of 153, one shot better than Williams’ Gabriella Moorehead in third.
The NCHSAA is committed to recognizing outstanding sportsmanship in each of our State Championship events. The Association has partnered with the North Carolina Farm Bureau to award a pair of Sportsmanship Awards at each championship event, recognizing players who have demonstrated the ideals of outstanding character and sportsmanship throughout the 2024 season. The winners of the 3A Women’s Golf NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Awards are Clara Press from Lake Norman Charter and Carli Anne Phillips from South Point.
4A Championships
Pinecrest, Edwards defend titles
In the 4A Championship at Pinehurst No. 6 (Par 70, 5,326 yards), the Pinecrest Patriots and Northwest Guilford’s Leah Edwards both successfully defended their 2023 titles.
On the team leaderboard, Pinecrest posted a 23-over-par, 443 to finish atop the leaderboard and seven shots better than Charlotte Catholic. Marvin Ridge finished in third place, two strokes behind the Cougars and Northwest Guilford took fourth place.
The win is the seventh state championship for Pinecrest and third in a row.
The Patriots were led by senior Kaitlyn Kruczek and freshman Ashley Lee who both posted six-over-par, 146, and finished in a tie for fourth on the individual leaderboard. The Cougars were led by Freshman Elizabeth Guthrie, who finished in a tie for 10th at 8-over-par.
On the individual leaderboard, Edwards was tied for the lead with Kruczek after the first round but posted another even par round of 70 on Tuesday to hold on to the top spot. She held off the 2022 champion, Myers Park senior Elizabeth Rudisill by one shot as Rudisill fired a three-under 67 on Tuesday. Rudisill’s second round score was the only under-par round of the championship.
Edwards is the first 4A champion to defend the title since Jennifer Chang from Athens Drive won four in a row from 2014-2017.
Jordan senior Emerson Dever finished in third and Mary Elizabeth Harrison from Cardinal Gibbons as well as New Bern’s Baker Hudson each finished in a tie for fourth with Lee and Kruczek.
The NCHSAA is committed to recognizing outstanding sportsmanship in each of our State Championship events. The Association has partnered with the North Carolina Farm Bureau to award a pair of Sportsmanship Awards at each championship event, recognizing players who have demonstrated the ideals of outstanding character and sportsmanship throughout the 2024 season. The winners of the 4A Women’s Golf NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Awards are Kate Grantham from Pinecrest and Maggie Schugel from Charlotte Catholic.
