By Brittany Bowyer
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LAVEEN — For the fourth consecutive year, the Xavier Gators Golf Team was able to claim the Girls Division I Golf State Championship title. The Gators shot 19-over-par 595 over the course of two days, defeating second-place Pinnacle by four strokes.

“I’m kind of shocked, but at the same time, I’m super happy and thrilled for the girls,” Xavier Coach Tui Selvaratnam said.

For the Gators, it was an exciting afternoon, as senior Alexis Lamadrid finished in first place in the individual competition for the third year in a row. She had an outstanding competition, shooting eight-under-par 136 overall, finishing three strokes ahead of Liberty junior Natalia Fox.

“It definitely means everything,” Lamadrid said. “To win individually, but also as a team ... I’m happy with my game and the way I held it together for 36 holes.”

“I’m super proud of them, I’m just happy for each and every one of them, especially Alexis for winning her third straight,” Selvaratnam said.

Selvaratnam said in Xavier’s school history, there have been a small number of individual golfers who have won three consecutive titles, putting her in select company.

As soon as Lamadrid’s final stroke was complete, her teammates rushed her on the course cheering for her finish. It was a moment she says she’ll never forget.

“It definitely snapped me back into reality, the moment that I saw them coming down the hill,” Lamadrid said. “It was just so amazing, I really kept myself concentrated on the 18, and I was really in the zone. Especially when that ball went, it was kind of a surreal moment, and seeing them come down kind of just made it seem more real. It’s definitely something I’ll never forget and a really special memory.”

Xavier needed Lamadrid to be at the top of her game, given the changes they had to make to their lineup just before the start of the State Championship match on Monday.

“I put the lineup in on Friday, and we had a very solid team because that was my top five throughout the whole year,” Selvaratnam said. “[Monday] morning I had to take out number two for a back injury, and so I was like, ‘Okay, it is what it is.’ I’m just proud of how everybody else stepped up, especially my number six, who was just put into the number two spot just like that.”

Aside from Madrid, other members of the Xavier golf team include sophomores Gabrielle Doss,  Addison Taylor, and Jaina Bhatnager, along with freshman Claire Brooks. 

Taylor finished in seventh overall, shooting four-over-par 148, while Brooks finished in fourth, shooting one-over-par 145. 

Selvaratnam said she believes the key to the program’s sustained success is the culture they’ve created and carried on throughout the years. Throughout her 21 years with the program, along with former Head Coach and athletic director Sister Lynn’s multiple decades of serving, the Gators have been able to create and maintain unique environment for the girls, which has propelled them to the top.

“In the last 46 years we’ve pretty much won or have been runner-up, which I think is an amazing feat,” Selvaratnam said.

Meanwhile for second-place Pinnacle, Coach Ryan Evans said his team did a phenomenal job of fighting until the finish.

“They really showed up,” Evans said. “They came out and they played well, they gave it a good run all the way down until the end with the last few holes. We were right in it. I’m very broud of them.”

Senior Katelyn Moreland shot two-under-par 142 to finish in third place individually while leading things for the Pioneers on the course.

Other members of Pinnacle's team include seniors Kaeleen Giardina and Hannah Haines, junior Emersyn Oldroyd and sophomore Hannah Nguyen. 

Pinnacle will be losing a few key seniors going into next year, but Coach Evans feels strongly about the team he has returning.

“We’re losing three seniors, but we have one of our juniors, [Oldroyd] who placed in the top ten ... Then we’ll have a couple of the underclassment coming back who will fill the spots.”

Coach Evans feels good about the run they’ve made in recent years at the State Championship.

“Second, third, fourth, second,” Evans said. “Hopefully we’ll keep the momentum going.”

Brittany Bowyer is a Report for America corps member, covering sports for Independent Newsmedia in Arizona. Report for America places talented journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and regions.