Olentangy Orange nabbed runner-up honors as a team while Olentangy Berlin’s Leila Raines finished second among individuals at the Division I state girls golf championship Friday and Saturday at the OSU Golf Club’s Gray Course.
The Pioneers carded a combined 618, finishing with a 310 on the first day and a 308 on the second. Only New Albany had a better couple of rounds, firing a 592 to earn the team title from Orange, which won it each of the last two years.
The Pioneers were powered by seniors Ashley Au and Riley Dean, who finished with respective two-day totals of 143 (+3) and 149 (+9). Au’s effort was good enough for third among individuals while Dean finished tied for 11th overall.
Other Orange scorers included Natalia Sompolvorachai, who finished with a 155 (+15); Natalie Au, who had a 171 (+31); and Sydney Krupp, who had a 190 (+50).
Raines, competing in the state showcase for the first time since 2016, was steady from start to finish en route to her second-place showing. The Berlin junior fired a 69 on Friday and a 72 on Saturday to account for her 141 (+1) — a mark second only to Centerville’s Marissa Wenzler’s 138 (-2).
In boys’ action on the Scarlet Course, Olentangy Liberty’s Grant Smeltzer finished with a two-day total of 160 (+16) — a mark good enough to tie him for 14th overall.
Smeltzer, competing in his second state championship in as many years, carded a 79 on Friday before wrapping up with an 81 on Saturday.
Dublin Jerome, led by Jackson Chandler’s medal-winning effort of 149 (+5), picked up the Division I team title with a combined 625 while St. Xavier and Lakota East tied for runner-up honors with 650s.
