Ponte Vedra boys win 4th straight golf state crown

Sharks fend off American Heritage in playoff, become 1st team to win 4 in a row

Members of the Ponte Vedra boys golf team celebrate after winning the Class 2A state championship on Wednesday at El Campeon’s Mission Inn Resort and Club. (FHSAA, Florida High School Athletic Association)

Ponte Vedra’s boys golf team has a spot atop the recordbooks all to itself.

The Sharks came back to win the Class 2A state championship in a playoff, edging Plantation American Heritage by three strokes at El Campeon’s Mission Inn Resort and Club.

Recommended Videos



Ponte Vedra is the first team in boys golf history to capture four consecutive team state championships and now has six overall, tying it with Nease and Tampa Plant for the most in state history.

It took a sterling finish from the Sharks to finish this one off.

Ponte Vedra wound up winning by three strokes

Sharks golfer Scotty Kennon finished runner-up with a 1-under 143 to Heritage’s Luke Clanton. Clanton cared a 7-under 137. Ponte Vedra’s Danny Erickson finished third with a 2-over 146. Will McGriff tied for seventh with a 7-over 151. Jack Barned finished tied for 30th at 15-over 159. Barned had a birdie putt on No. 18 to help the Sharks reach the playoff. Ponte Vedra and Heritage had identical totals both rounds — 301 and 296.

American Heritage has been a state champ three times since 2011 ('12, ’14 and ’16), and runner-up seven times in that span. The Sharks have been in front of Heritage six of those times, including the final four.

Last year’s duel, a six-stroke Ponte Vedra win, was tight. But this year’s victory was a razor-thin battle.

Bishop Kenny’s Clay Tucker finished in fourth place with a 3-over 147.

On the girls side, Ponte Vedra finished fourth with a 666. Individually, Matanzas golfer Alexandra Gazzoli finished in tied for third with a 6-over 150. For the Sharks, Ashley Huffman was the low scorer, carding a 16-over 160 to finish in a tie for 18th.


About the Author

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.

Recommended Videos