CASSELBERRY -- Had Jordyn Hage been struggling to break 80, her seven-iron off the tee on her final hole of the day probably would have stayed out of bounds.
But since Hage and her Lake Howell teammates were having that kind of day at the Class 2A, District 7 championship, of course the ricochet off a tree landed four feet from the hole. Hage finished with the tournament's only under-par score.
Hage's 1-under 71 led a top-four sweep among the finishers for the Silver Hawks, who began their quest for a third consecutive state championship with a 54-stroke victory over Winter Park on Monday at Deer Run Country Club.
Joining Lake Howell (team score, 307) and Winter Park (361) at next week's regional in Sebring will be Lake Brantley and individuals Mia Campbell and Micah Dowling of Edgewater, who each shot an 84, and Winter Springs' Lindsay Edwards, who posted a 94.
Hage converted the bounce into a birdie as she blistered the front nine with a 33.
"When I heard it hit the tree, I dropped my head but then I heard people laughing when the ball landed so close to the pin." Hage said. "I was so grateful to the tree."
Carlie Yadloczky fired a 76 and Cabriel Duran and Dana Magder each posted an 80 as the Silver Hawks recovered from a relatively lackluster conference tournament performance on their home course.
Lake Howell Coach Carl Pain ruled out home-course advantage, though.
"Playing on the course may or may not have been an advantage . . . we play here so much, we take it for granted," Pain said.
"I'm not sure we focus 100 percent when we play here."