Brian E. Preece, Herald correspondent

There was no doubt that Lone Peak would win its fourth straight 6A girls golf title when it teed up Monday and Tuesday at the Meadow Brook Golf Club in Salt Lake County. The bigger question was just how dominant the Knights would be and what golfers on this outstanding team would compete for medalist honors.

Aadyn Long had won the last two medalist championships but this year she was second place to her teammate Saydie Wagner who had a back nine of the ages shooting a 5-under 31. She paired that up with a 1-over par 37 on the front nine to card a 4-under 68. Combined with her 2-under performance on Monday, she won the 6A tournament with a 6-under total.

It wasn’t that her round had any challenges either as she was 4-over par after six holes. But Wagner remarked how a little tough love from her coach Derek Farr helped her refocus.

“Coach Farr came over and said ‘you need to get your shiz together, this is not what you’re supposed to do,'” Wagner said. “I just said (to myself), ‘I got to turn this around’ and then I made a birdie.”

Holes seven through 14 were just epic for Wagner. After parring the eighth hole, she eagled the par-5 ninth, sinking a ten-foot putt after two terrific shots. Then she ripped off three straight birdies on holes 10 through 12 before parring the challenging par three 13th hole. Then with an easier par five coming up, Wagner had a two-putt birdie. After three more pars, she capped off her round by sinking a five footer for birdie on the 18th hole.

Brian E. Preece, Herald correspondent

“My putter started getting hot after not making anything yesterday,” Wagner said. “It was mostly my putter. I was making some good shots in but everything was dropping for me.”

Wagner’s teammate Aadyn Long capped off a great career finishing three shots back of her teammate Wagner at 3-under overall. Long shot a 69 Tuesday after an even par 72 round on Monday. Long was the medalist as a sophomore and junior and finished second this year along with a runner-up finish as a freshman. Long finished strong with birdies on the last two holes and was happy how her career ended.

“I felt today was just a good day,” Long said. “I just wanted to enjoy every moment because it was my last one (high school tournament). I played good golf today but Saydie just played better.”

Now Long will set her sights on some big junior golf events in the summer before competing for BYU.

For Wagner, as a junior, she will get a chance next year to join Long as a 2-time medalist. And she has enjoyed playing with Long and the friendship they have developed over the past three years..

Brian E. Preece, Herald correspondent

“We usually shoot the same scores, so it’s just fun. We’re friends on and off the course,” Wagner said.

As for Long, she had nothing but good things to say about her teammate.

“I’m happy for her and so proud of her,” said Long.

Four Knight golfers were in the top ten as Mikaila Lieu finished tied for third at even par as she shot a 74-70. Then Adley Nelson finished fifth at 3-over par. And though their scores didn’t count in the team total Morgan Thomas finished 14th overall and Joy Greer was 18th. Sawyer Ramey (+22) and Kendall Saari (+31) were the other two Lone Peak team members.

As a team, counting the top four golfer scores, Lone Peak simply crushed the competition as it finished 6-under par as a team, some 76 shots better than runner-up Bingham. Corner Canyon finished third 19 shots behind Bingham. As far as other local teams, Skyridge and American Fork qualified for the second day of competition as teams and finished 10th and 11th respectively. And though Lehi didn’t qualify as a team, Tacee Hess of Lehi tied with Greer for 18th place.

Brian E. Preece, Herald correspondent

Though taking state was a foregone conclusion Farr said the key to keeping the Knights primed to play their best was setting sights on team and personal goals.

“We try to set goals, like today we wanted to break the state record (as a team score),” Farr said.

And the Knights did just that as their aggregate total of 282 for its top four players bested its previous record by ten shots. And both of these scores were posted at Meadowbrook.

“We have an exceptional team, we just have some very, very good girls,” added Farr.

In regards to his top two golfers, Farr had nothing but praise.

“I had a chat with Saydie on the tee at the 7th hole, and she just really stepped up,” Farr said. “And Aadyn, what a champion.”

5A Girls Golf Notes: Four area teams made the top ten cut at the 5A state golf tournament hosted at Glendale. Wasatch finished the best at fourth overall as Woods Cross bested Bonneville for the team title. Timpview finished seventh while Spanish Fork was eighth.

Though her team didn’t qualify, Navy Hubbs finished second as an individual as she shot a 75-70 for a 1-over total on the par 72 layout.

Timpview’s Seneti Toluta’u finished seventh while Wasatch’s Teyha Geake placed ninth overall.