Gary Trapani has been a coach in the Marlboro Central School District for a long time.

He’s won some big games in other sports he’s coached. He’s had individual state champions and sectional champions in track, but this one means the most.

As the head coach of the second-year Marlboro girls’ golf team, his seventh-grade daughter, Alexa Trapani, finished tied for seventh at the Section 9 championships at Apple Greens Golf Course in Highland with a two-day score of 183.

Her finish qualified her for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association tournament on June 3-5 at the Edison Club in Section 2.

“I’m really proud of myself because I made it as a seventh grader,” Alexa Trapani said. “As I played yesterday, I didn’t really believe in myself, but I pulled through today.”

She had a much better second day than she did the first day. She entered the tournament as the eighth seed and finished just inside the state cut, shooting a 96. However, she improved her game by nine strokes to move into a tie for seventh place with Tri-Valley’s Kaylee Poppo.

“I think nerves played a factor in (Day 1),” coach Trapani said. “Being a seventh grader, playing with people you’ve never met. We didn’t talk much about it. She knew she didn’t play good, and we left it at that. We talked this morning on the ride up. We had a game plan yesterday, and nothing changes. Just stick to your plain and avoid big numbers.”

She avoided the big numbers, scoring no worse than double bogey on any holes.

She competed the second day with Poppo and Warwick’s Lorenza Brennie, both of whom were ahead of Trapani when play began on Wednesday. She was four strokes better than Poppo, with whom she pulled into a tie, and finished 14 strokes ahead of Brennie on the second day. Brennie fell out of the state cut to 11th place.

“I knew I had to beat these two girls to go to states, which I was able to do,” Alexa Trapani said. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be going.”

But she is going. She will be the first female golfer from Marlboro attending the state tournament. As a seventh grader, there are five more opportunities in front of her.

This year, it’s all about experience.

“I’m excited just to go there and have the memories of going as a seventh grader,” Trapani said.

She wasn’t the only local golfer to compete on Wednesday. Highland’s Sierra Wiser finished 17th with a two-day score of 226. She was in 13th place after shooting a 106 on the first day but dropped with a 120.

Marlboro’s Gwen Benninger finished 23rd with a 114 on the tournament’s first day, and Highland’s Kyle VanZandt finished 27th with a 119.

“This was (Benninger’s) first year of competitive golf,” coach Trapani said. “She had a great season. Just to qualify in your first year is an accomplishment.”