Catalina Foothills. (Andy Morales/AZPreps365)

Top Ten Finishers. (Andy Morales/AZPreps365)

 

It was a record-setting finish at the Division II state championship with Notre Dame Prep pulling off a historic victory on Thursday at the Aguila Golf Course in Laveen Village. The Saints shot a 17-under-par on Wednesday and then followed that up with a 13-under final round on Thursday to claim a 30-under 546 to beat Catalina Foothills (279-289) by 24 strokes. The margin of victory was the biggest at the D-II level since the Saints beat Seton Catholic 607 to 642 in 2008. Even more remarkable, the 8-under 568 posted by Catalina Foothills would have been more than good enough to win a state championship almost any other year.

The 30-under mark is also the best finish at the D-II level with Brophy scoring a 31-under in 2022 at the Omni Tucson National to set the D-I mark. The 546 is also the Aguila Golf Course record for AIA championships. This is the fifth state championship for the Saints but the first since 2009 which puts the program in a more elite category. In addition, all five Notre Dame golfers finished in the top 16 and they are all coming back next year.

Notre Dame junior Landon Ashcraft beat the field by two strokes to win his second state title. He became the first “big school” golfer to win back-to-back state championships since former Hamilton standout CJ Kim pulled it off in 2008 and 2009 and the first D-II athlete since former Notre Dame standout Nicholas Losole III did it in 2007 and 2008. Former Camp Verde standout Rip Vaughn won four straight championships from 1973 to 1976 at the small school level but there have been no three-time champions at other levels. Ashcraft committed to play for Texas A&M.

Catalina Foothills sophomore Zachary Schaefer tied for second place with Chaparral sophomore Aleksei Panek. Saguaro junior Oliver Uribe took sixth but his 6-under round on Thursday was the best mark of the tournament.