Olentangy Liberty senior Olivia Aronhalt saved her best for last, finishing with a 35 on the back nine before edging Olentangy junior Meadow Tian in a playoff to take top honors at Monday’s Division I girls golf district tournament at the Links at Echo Springs.
The playoff only took one hole, which Aronhalt birdied. Tian finished second with a par while Worthington Kilbourne’s Isabella Anderson, who matched Aronhalt and Tian with a 72 in regulation, birdied the playoff hole to finish third and just miss state qualification.
Overall, Olentangy and Olentangy Orange both nabbed top-five finishes while Liberty closed ninth despite Aronhalt’s strong showing. Dublin Jerome won the district crown with a combined 307 while New Albany finished second, punching a ticket to the upcoming state showcase with a 319.
The Braves, who were third with a team total of 326, also got a strong showing from freshman Jodie Han (76). Other scorers included Aubrey Davis (87) and Sophia Dreischarf (91).
The Pioneers, thanks in part to Skylar Dean’s 74, finished fourth with a 342. Other Orange contributors included Lauren Powell (85), Adeline Ricker (90) and Bella Mitchell (93).
Sahara Dhulipudi backed Aronhalt for the Patriots, closing with a 93. Other Liberty scorers included Summer Inglez, who had a 96; and the duo of Shreya Shah and Rylie Hilvert, who each had 98s.
Olentangy Berlin was also in action, finishing 10th with a 361. Olivia Tang led the Bears with an 77 while Olivia Ross had an 89, Keegan Dyer finished with a 95 and Zoe Tang shot an even 100.
Big Walnut’s Gracyn Alexander and Charlie Burgess, both competing as individuals, saw solid seasons come to an end as well. Alexander shot an 81 while Burgess finished with an 88 in the final tournament of her freshman campaign.
