First Academy’s Chris Bateman said all season he might have been the head coach of the deepest girls golf team in the state, whether it was Class 1A, 2A or 3A. The Royals had the luxury of rotating different five-player lineups throughout the season.
One girl stood above the rest when it was all said and done. That turned out to be junior Jieming “Cissy” Yang, who shot back-to-back rounds of 68 at Mission Inn for a 136 total that won the two-day FHSAA state tournament individual title.
There were two other 68s — one by runner-up Maisie Filler of Oxbridge Academy and one by Lake Mary Prep’s Karoline Tuttle.
It was a fitting score for Yang because she averaged 68 in big tournaments this season. That included the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Yang is the Orlando Sentinel girls golf Player of the Year for the 2019 season.
The team of the year, ranked No. 1 in the final Sentinel Super Six rankings, is Lake Mary Prep. The Griffins entered the Class 1A state tournament as a slight underdog to TFA but shot rounds of 287 and 288 for a 1-under-par 575 total that beat the Royals (287-292—582) by 7 shots.
Here is the 2019 All-Area team:
Golfer of the Year
Jieming “Cissy” Yang
The First Academy (Orlando), Jr.
Buzz: In addition to winning the 1A state championship, Yang shot 70 for third in the Region 2 meet, 67 for second in the District 7 meet, 69 to take second in the Qdoba Tournament of Champions and 139 to tie for first in the two-day Honda Classic. If it was a big event, Yang showed up ready to post some birdies and shoot low.
All-Area players
Ellen Dong
Lake Mary Prep, Jr.
Buzz: Posted a 71.8 average for 18 while shooting 71 to place second in District 7 and eighth in 1A state with a 143.
Victoria Hwang
Olympia, Jr.
Buzz: She tied for first in the Metro West tourney with her twin sister, was sixth in Region 2 with 74, and fourth in 3A state at 142.
Caroline Hwang
Olympia, Jr.
Buzz: She was first in both District 5 and Region 2 with rounds of 71, then finished seventh in 3A state with 144.
Izzy Pellot
Lake Mary, Soph.
Buzz: She was first in the Qdoba with a 68, first in Region 1 with a 66 and third at 3A state at 141 after posting a 70.7 average in the regular season.
Bridget Ma
The First Academy, Soph.
Buzz: One of five sophomore first-teamers was first in District 7 with a 65, second in Region 2 with a 69 and 18th at state with a 150.
Ainsley Mann
Bishop Moore, Soph.
Buzz: The younger of the Hornets’ dynamic duo won the 2A state title with a 73-74–147 score after winning Region 2 with a 72.
Emily McLatchey
Winter Park, Jr.
Buzz: She averaged 36.6 per nine holes, won Metro East with a 36, placed second in district at 76 and third in region with a 69.
Karoline Tuttle
Lake Mary Prep, Soph.
Buzz: The 3A state champ as a Lake Mary High ninth-grader placed third in 1A (72-68—140) to lead the Griffins to the 1A title. She averaged 71.6.
Ariel Yu
The First Academy, Sr.
Buzz: The Vanderbilt signee and former golfer of the year was first in the Central Florida Tournament of Champions (69) and 15th at state at 146.
Xinyi Wang
Lake Mary Prep, Soph.
Buzz: She was fourth in 1A state individually at 141 and also tied for first in the Honda Classic and had a 72.8 average for 18 holes.
Second Team
Kaley Amuso, Circle Christian, So.
Morgan Beaulieu, Tohopekaliga, So.
Alex Crafton, Circle Christian, Jr.
Chelsea Nguyen, Hagerty, Fr.
Alyssa Mercado, Lake Mary, Sr.
Danielle Owens, Bishop Moore, Sr.
Gabby Perlstein, Lake Mary, Sr.
Emily Staples, Freedom, Sr.
Taylor Zeng, The First Academy, Sr.
Victoria Zheng, Lake Mary Prep, Jr.
Sentinel Super 6
team rankings
1. Lake Mary Prep
Buzz: The Griffins topped fellow 1A powerhouse First Academy twice — in the first event of the season, a tri-match, and in the last event, the state finals.
2. First Academy-Orlando
The Royals were the deepest team in the state, but they just weren’t quite as good as Lake Mary Prep on the second day of 1A state.
3. Lake Mary
The four-time defending 3A state champion Rams weren’t far from making if five in a row but finished as the Class 3A runner-up to Jupiter.
4. Circle Christian
The Centurions were not far behind TFA and LMP all season. They completed a 1-2-3 Central Florida sweep in the 1A state tournament.
5. Olympia
The Titans finished sixth in the 3A state tournament and had the Hwang sisters place in the top seven with Victoria shooting 142 and Caroline 144.
6. Lake Nona
The Lions, led by junior Caroline Nemes and ninth-graders Mei Chan and Aileen Kang, capped a strong season with a 10th-place finish at state.
