Manatee's Tomeo, Lakewood Ranch girls come up short in state golf title quest

There isn't a state girls golf championship returning to Manatee County.

Manatee sophomore Gabrielle Tomeo entered Wednesday's final round of the Class 3A state tournament at Mission Inn Resort & Club in Howey-in-the-Hills with the best chance to secure a state title, but a final-round 77 backed her into a tie for seventh place.

After Tuesday's first round, Tomeo was five shots behind Seminole's Alyssa Lamoureux and Melbourne Viera's Sophie Liu, who were co-leaders at 4-under par.

Those two remained tied after the final round wrapped up, which was 10 shots better than Tomeo for the two days on the Las Colinas course.

Lamoureux earned the title on the third sudden-death playoff hole.

But despite not snagging a spot in the playoff or the state crown outright, Tomeo did do something no Manatee girls golfer had done in the last 20 years.

And that's record a top-seven finish at the state tournament.

The last golfer to accomplish a top 10 showing was Tomeo's older sister, Gianna, who now plays collegiately at Seton Hall. Gianna Tomeo took eighth place as a junior in the 2013 3A tournament at

Mission Inn.

Not even Maria Ronderos or Jennifer Neville, who both played Division I college golf, finished better than Gabrielle Tomeo's finish at the state tournament on Wednesday.

Ronderos, who played at the University of Miami, tied for eighth place in 2005. That was her best finish at state, while Neville's best state performance came in 2007 when she tied for 14th. Ronderos' older sister, Daniella, finished ninth in 2002 for the only other Manatee High top-10 finish at the state golf tournament since 2000.

The lone Hurricanes girls golfer to win a state title came in 1985 when Diana Miles triumphed by two shots following a 73-73--146.

Meanwhile, Lakewood Ranch's girls team snuck into the top half of the 16-team field following a 325 total in Wednesday's final round. That produced a seventh place finish for the Mustangs, who finished 47 shots behind Lake Mary's 602 winning total.

Katie Kroos-Roberts posted a 77 for a two-day total of 153. The sophomore produced the best rounds for Lakewood Ranch. Sophia Warren (81-80--161), Theresa Morrissey (81-84--165), Natalie Robson (86-84--170) and Darby Laurvick (95-95--190) rounded out the Mustangs.

Lakewood Ranch's seventh place showing tied the Saint Stephen's boys program with the highest state golf finish this season from Manatee County teams.

This story was originally published November 4, 2015 at 11:33 PM with the headline "Manatee's Tomeo, Lakewood Ranch girls come up short in state golf title quest ."