Jericho's Renna Chang shoots 6 over and finishes 4th in state championships
Renna Chang of Jericho tees off from the 14th hole of Bethpage State Park's Green Course during the Nassau girls golf championship on May 23. Credit: James Escher
Renna Chang wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to compete at the girls golf state championships. But the Jericho sophomore wanted to at least give it her best effort on Day 1 and she surprised herself a bit with the results.
Chang suffered a lower right back injury last week during training. But after playing on Sunday and stretching, she said she felt a little better going into Day 2 of the state championships on Monday. She finished fourth at 6 over par in the girls state championships at The Edison Club in Rexford after shooting a 3-over 75 on both days.
“I started out just to see what would happen and I think I got through it OK,” Chang said. “So [Monday] I did some stretches and played through it. After this, I’m just going to take a few days off and hopefully get back to it.”
But Chang qualified for the state Federation girls golf championships at Bethpage’s Red Course on Sunday and plans to compete there.
“I’m super excited,” Chang said. “Hopefully my back will be fine by then and I won’t have to play defensively. I’m just going to take it shot by shot and see what happens.”
Kennedy Swedick of Albany Academy won the state championship with a 5-under score. Madison Chen of Manhasset finished eighth at 10 over, Lia Huang of Great Neck finished tied for ninth at 11 over and Ward Melville’s Ella Girard finished tied for 12th at 13 over. Ava Estrella of Friends Academy was tied for 18th at 19 over and Audrey Chen of Wheatley and Caylin Wong of Great Neck finished tied for 20th at 20 over.
Anthony Naples of Comsewogue/Miller Place and Wheatley’s Joseph Dolezal finished tied for eighth at 8 over in the boys golf championships at Mark Twain Golf Course in Elmira. Dante Bertoni of Union-Endicott won with a 2 over. Naples had a strong Monday, shooting a 1-over 73.
Gavin Girard of Ward Melville finished 18th at 11 over and Jack Breutsch of Center Moriches finished 21st at 13 over. Zach Berger of Westhampton shot a 14 over and Northport’s Padruig Douglas shot a 15 over.
