It was the most golf most members of the Marlboro Dukes played over three days.

Alexa Trapani finished in a 50th-place tie to lead the Marlboro Dukes to an eighth-place finish at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association on June 2 and 3 at the Edison Club in Rexford.
Trapani shot a 36-hole score of 176 over the two-day tournament. Her score was 32 shots over par. She was tied with Section 8 Great Neck’s Lia Huang.

She finished 69th last season.

“The top end of the field was the best field they’ve ever had,” Marlboro coach Gary Trapani said. “The best golfers that have ever competed in this championship so to move up those places was pretty significant. She was also 20 shots better than last year, which was a great improvement.”

The Dukes finished eighth as a team with 836 strokes, 260 over par.
“I was very proud of how they played up there,” coach Trapani said.

“That was the first tournament of this kind for three of the girls, where they had to go play an 18-hole practice round on Saturday (June 1) and then two competitive rounds on Sunday and Monday. Besides Alexa, it was totally new experience playing a much more difficult course than they’re used to playing.”

Trapani shot an 86 on Day 1 and Gwen Benninger shot a 101 over 18 holes. Rebecca Panio shot a 110 and Madison Markle had a 112. On Day 2, Trapani shot a 90. Benninger shot a 105. Panio shot a 112, Markle finished with a 120.

“By the time you got to the back nine on Monday, you’ve done 46 holes of golf for the weekend,” coach Trapani said. “It’s a lot for anybody. They’re walking the course and they’re playing 5 ½ or six-hour rounds. It’s not what any of them are used to. They had to really dig deep and stay hydrated and get their rest at night in the hotel.”

Section 1’s Scarsdale won the overall team championship with a score of 616.

Kenedy Swedick of Section 2’s Albany Academy won the overall individual championship.

“As a coach, I’m extremely proud of where they were when they started and where they’ve come from,” coach Trapani said. “Alexa has a golfing background. She’s been playing for years, but this was Rebecca’s first year playing competitive golf. Maddie Markle has only been playing for a little over a year and Gwen really started taking golf seriously last year. To do what we did with the limited experience we have, I think, is remarkable.”