Richfield’s Piper Harris kept 3A medalist honors in the family on Thursday afternoon.
The senior edged Morgan’s Ellie DeMond in the first sudden-death playoff hole at Mountain View Golf Course in West Jordan, joining big sister Hayden Harris who captured the 3A title in both 2018 and 2019. The younger Harris was a part of Richfield’s teams each of those season as well, which ended with a state championship.
Piper Harris helped add another title to the Richfield trophy haul on Thursday as the Wildcats rolled to the title with a team score of 650, with Morgan finishing second with a 683.
“My girls have been there and seen it, and they worked hard. I think they knew how to handle pressure,” said Richfield coach Todd Mullen.
Richfield and Morgan came into the 3A state tournament in a virtual tie with season scoring average, but Harris said the likelihood of a tight state tournament didn’t make anyone nervous.
“I think we were more excited. We were just ready to go get it. Our team was definitely motivated to beat them again,” said Harris.
Richfield shot a 331 on Wednesday to open up an 11-shot lead, but it was even better on Thursday with a 319.
Richfield’s top four golfers on Thursday were Harris with a 75, Becca Poulsen with a 77, Gwen Stubbs with an 82 and Brinley Jolley with an 85. All four golfers finished in the top 10 overall, with freshman Brielle Jolley finishing just outside it in 11th.
The only real drama during the final round of 3A centered on the medalist pursuit.
DeMond held a three-shot lead over Harris after Day 1, and with the two playing together in the final grouping, but both golfers seemed to feel the pressure of the day as if it were match play. Each only had one birdie in the final round, with a sprinkling of bogeys.
The two were tied at the turn, but DeMond regained a two-shot advantage with a birdie on No. 10 combined with a bogey from Harris.
The two were level again with four holes remaining, but Harris bogeyed No. 15 as DeMond regained the one-shot lead. The lead changed hands on the 16th, a par 3, though as Harris parred but DeMond double-bogeyed.
Harris’ first lead of the tournament was very short lived as she bogeyed the 17th. Both came up short on long par attempts at No. 18, each finishing with a two-day 152 (8 over).\
For Harris, the 152 bested her big sister’s senior year 154, but she still had a lot of work remaining to duplicate the medalist trophy as Harris and DeMond returned to the No. 18 tee box for the sudden-death playoff.
Harris’ drive found the left rough, with her approach shot going over the green. She chipped within 5 feet and made the par. DeMond ended up in the left rough with her drive, with her approach stopping at the front of the green. She left her birdie putt a few feet short, and then agonizingly had her putt attempt lip out.
“Feel really bad for Ellie because I hate to see it finish that way,” said Mullen.
For Harris, she had her big sister following her around the course all day offering her words of encouragement.
“She just told me to have fun and not put too much pressure on myself to give myself the best possible chance,” said Harris.
Harris said it helped her believe she could still win despite the three-shot Day 1 deficit.
Class 3A state tournament
At Mountain View Golf Course
Team scores
1. Richfield, 650
2. Morgan, 683
3. Judge Memorial, 717
4. Union, 755
5. Juab, 814
6. Manti, 821
7. Emery, 842
8. Delta, 848
9. Grantsville, 856
Individual results
152 — *Piper Harris, Richfield; Ellie DeMond, Morgan
156 — Becca Poulsen, Richfield
164 — Ava Isaac, Judge Memorial; Isabel Young, San Juan
167 — Gwen Stubbs, Richfield
174 — Jailee Snow, Morgan
178 — Aspen Delis, Summit Academy; Kia Christiansen; Brinley Jolley
179 — Brielle Jolley, Richfield
180 — Samantha Preslar, Morgan
181 — Emily Keel, Union; Lucy Callahan, Judge Memorial
183 — Tori Locke, Judge Memorial; Haldyn Anderson, Morgan
184 — Maddi Eyre, Juab
189 — Hallie Janes, Richfield; Brooklyn Woods, Judge Memorial
190 — Macie Andersen, Morgan; Emma Whitmer, Union; JoLee Gillett, Manti.
*Won sudden-death playoff on first hole