High school golf: Kihei Akina leads Lone Peak to runner-up finish at national tournament in Arizona

Some of the top golfers in Utah participated in The Brophy Rodeo National High School Golf Invitational in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Saturday, and more than held their own against some of the top programs out West.

Lone Peak’s boys team finished in second place, with Corner Canyon in fifth and Herriman in seventh, while Lone Peak’s girls team placed 10th at the Grayhawk Golf Course.

For the second straight year, a Utah golfer finished runner-up at the prestigious national tournament. Last season, Corner Canyon’s Bowen Mauss finished second, one shot off the lead, while this year it was Lone Peak’s Kihei Akina , who earned a runner-up finish just one shot behind Chase Cesarek out of Catalina Foothills, Arizona.

The senior Akina shot a 3-under 141, just one stroke behind Cesarek’s 140.

Mauss finished in the top 10 again this season as he shot an even-par 144.

Two other Utah boy golfers placed in the top 15, with Herriman senior Tomsick finishing in 13th with a 3-over 147 and Lone Peak freshman Blake Brown placing in 15th with a 4-over 148.

Led by Akina and Brown, the Lone Peak boys tied for second with Catalina Foothills with a two-day 593. Brophy, Arizona, won the tournament with a 592.

Corner Canyon tied for fourth with a 595, and Herriman placed seventh with a 602.

Lone Peak’s girls finished 10th with a two-day 637.

The Knights’ top two girls were senior Aadyn Long and sophomore Saydie Wagner, who tied for 22nd with a 9-over 153. Utah had one other top-25 finisher as Herriman junior Natalie McLane shot a 154.