Eighth-grader Sessa leads Garden City golf qualifiers

The girls golf team representing Nassau at the state tournament will be blanketed in Maroon.

Eighth-grader Samantha Sessa shot 9-over-par 80 Monday at Bethpage Yellow to win the Nassau County individual championship and will be one of five Garden City Maroon players occupying spots on the nine-member state team at Delhi beginning June 11.

Just three strokes separated Sessa from teammate Erica Gambardella, who came in second after shooting an 83. Also representing Garden City at states will be Alex Michielini and Laura Ketigian, who tied for fourth place with 85s, and Marisa Cameron, who tied for eighth with an 88.

Garden City Maroon also won its fifth straight team championship, combining for a record low aggregate score of 421, topping its own record of 456 set two years earlier. Syosset, which will send three golfers to states, came in second for the eighth straight year with a score of 466 and Jericho came in third with 528.

"They were very excited for each other,'' Garden City Maroon coach Reid Sclafani said. "The whole team did so well that they could only be happy for one another. Knowing Syosset was going to be so tough, they were all focused. It all just came together as a group.''

Garden City Maroon advances to play Sayville for the Long Island Championship at Sunken Meadow on June 2.

The state team also will include Elizabeth Choi (84), Tara Petruzillo (85) and Rohini Rudra (87) of Syosset and Casey Durant (88) of Sewanhaka District.

Dolan fires 65. Christian Dolan, a senior at Islip looking to win his second straight Suffolk County title, all but ensured a return trip to states after shooting a Suffolk qualifier record 7-under 65 at the par- 72 Indian Island Golf Course in Riverhead in the division championships. Dolan shot a 35 on the front nine and 30 on the back to break the previous record of 66, according to Islip coach Mike Reilly.

The top six teams and top 30 individuals return Tuesday for the conclusion of the team and individual state qualifiers. The individuals with the top nine two-day scores will advance to the state tournament at Cornell beginning June 5.

Dolan eagled the par-5, 433-yard 10th hole and went on to birdie four straight holes, beginning at the 13th.