Beachside got its first individual golf state champion in program history this week when Sofia Rivera raced to a comfortable win.
Rivera fired final round 67 to wrap up a four-stroke win in the Class 3A state tournament at Mission Inn Resort Las Colinas Course. Rivera’s 67 was tied for lowest round in the 3A event. She started the day three strokes back of Steinbrenner’s Dannika Hines and caught up in a hurry.
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On the boys side in 3A, Fletcher’s Jackson Runquist finished as individual state runner-up, two strokes behind the winner after finishing 2-under 142. He carried the Senators to a runner-up in the team title with a 604, 17 shots behind champ Dwyer.
Nease’s Dmytro Kulyk was third with a 2-over 146 and Beachside’s Jonah Nacional finished T-4 at 3-over 147.
Rivera gives the area back-to-back individual champions in one of the state’s most challenging events.
Tamera Bowman (Parker) won in 1968 followed by Forrest’s Kelly Trent in 1978. Ponte Vedra’s Nicolette Donovan won Class 2A in 2013, Matanzas’ Alexandra Gazzoli won 2A in 2022 and Fernandina Beach’s Sadaly Campbell won 2A last year.
In the team scores, Ponte Vedra (629) tied for fifth, Beachside tied for 11th (655) and Nease was 15th (678).
Ponte Vedra sophomore Charlotte Xia finished 9-over 150 to tie for 16th. Xia had final round 1-over 72.
Rivera was a freshman on the Beachside golfing state championship team in 2023.