Santa Margarita High of Rancho San Margarita and Zoe Jiamanukoonkit of Torrey Pines High were the big winners at the annual CIF Girls' State Championship at Poppy Hills.
Santa Margarita made it two titles in a row, defeating runner-up Torrey Pines via the sixth player. Both squads finished regulation tied at 11-over 366 (best five-out-of-six scores). In the tiebreaker, Santa Margarita's Veronica Man had a 79. while Torrey Pines' Alice Koontz shot 88.
"We have a special team," said Santa Margarita head coach Jill Hegna. "They just bring out the best in one another."
Having lost only starter from last year's championship squad, Santa Margarita was led by freshman Donina Zhou (71). Other Falcons scores were Taryn Cagle (72), Leigh Chien (72), Angelina Tao (75) and Emily Song (76). Chien, who won the Individual State title at Poppy Hills in 2021, will play at Stanford starting in the fall of 2024.
Jiamanukoonkit, a sophomore, played a great round in what at times was blustery wind conditions. She'd card a 5-under 66 with six birdies to go against just one bogey.
It was only the second time Jiamanukoonkit had played Poppy Hills.
"I was concerned because in the practice round I wasn't hitting any greens in regulation. Everything was coming up short," Jiamanukoonkit said. "Once I made my first birdie, I got more confident."
On a seven-hole stretch from holes Nos. 5 through No.11, Jimankoonkit went 5-under. From there, Jiamanukoonkit had a slew of lip-out putts before adding a final birdie on the 18th.
She became the sixth player from Torrey Pines to win the Individual title.
"I could've gone even lower," she said. "Just some putts didn't go in."
Anna Song of Palisades was runner-up in the Individual competition with a 69.
Recap courtesy of NCGA
