Niceville, FWB girls advance to golf states
By RANDY DICKSON
randyd@nwfdailynews.com
NICEVILLE — History was made at the girls’ Region 1-2A golf tournament at Rocky Bayou Country Club on Tuesday.
As expected, the Niceville Eagles earned their 11th straight trip to state with a first-place score of 324.
Another Okaloosa County team, Fort Walton Beach, made team history by finishing second with a 350 to earn its first trip to the state tournament, which will be held at The Club at Eaglebrooke in Lakeland on Tuesday and Wednesday.
And the individual performance by Pace’s Haley Milsap, who shot a 68, was a high school and Rocky Bayou junior course record, according to longtime Rocky Bayou member Jim Cloutier.
Viking senior Crystal Swanson couldn’t control her tears of joy as she soaked in the moment. Swanson shot an 80 to lead her team as she has for so many years.
“We’ve been waiting a long time for this,” she said. “I just can’t put it into words what it feels like right now.”
Even rival Niceville didn’t seem to mind sharing the spotlight with Fort Walton Beach.
“I’m just so happy they are going to state,” said Eagle senior Ana Garcia, who finished her home career with a 71. “I think this is their first year going to state.
“It will be fun. We will actually know someone that we can hang out with.”
But the respective teams haven’t lost their real focus.
“We will be a little more relaxed going with people we know,” Swanson said. “We are friends with all of them.
“Of course we are going to be competitive, but at the same time we are going to have fun.”
While the Vikings prepare for their new surroundings the Eagles will again take aim at the elusive state championship.
Garcia likes the way Niceville is playing heading into the tournament.
“We’ve worked hard and kept it competitive on our team,” she said. “I think it’s all coming together and we are peaking at the right moment going to state.”
A good Viking team was made better this year by the addition of Dana Mattson, a senior who transferred in from New Jersey.
Mattson’s 90 was third best for the Vikings in Tuesday’s tournament. Summer Struzinski shot 88.
“It amazes me because this is my first year playing golf on a team,” Mattson said. “We won the district (1-2A) and now we are going to state.
“It’s so exciting.”
Fort Walton Beach coach Dan Bohannon was simply happy for his team and the success it accomplished this year.
“It’s been a pleasure working with these young ladies,” he said. “We were led by our two seniors, Crystal Swanson and Dana Mattson, and we had three freshmen step up and really come through in their first year of varsity competition.”
Garcia’s 71 was good for individual second place. Jamie Jordan was second among the Eagles with an 81.
Choctaw finished fifth with a 393. Jourdan Perrin had the low round for the Indians with a 90.
As Niceville prepares for another trip to state, coach Mitch Inness is starting to see the makings of greatness.
“We’ve had some pretty good teams here,” he said, “and this team is slowly gaining on some of those teams we’ve talked about in the past.
“By the end of next week (if the Eagles do well at state), we might be talking about this team in the same breath as we do with some of the teams from the past.”
At Rocky Bayou Country Club
Team scores: Niceville 324, Fort Walton Beach 350, Chiles 371, Pace 375, Choctawhatchee 393, Leon 402, Neptune Beach Fletcher 414, Jacksonville Mandarin 528, Jacksonville Sandalwood 574
Niceville: Ana Garcia 71, Jaime Jordan 81, Joy Ambrester 84, Marissa Marinan 88, Cristina Garcia 89.
Fort Walton Beach: Crystal Swanson 80, Dana Mattson 90, Summer Struzinski 88, Carolyn Hudson 92, Alyssa Davis 105.
Choctaw: Jourdan Perrin 90, Marlow Garner 97, Lyndsey Chappell 101, Miller McInnis 105
