‘Everything was working.’ Cleveland’s Kyra Ly breaks Gigi Stoll’s record, wins Oregon 6A girls golf crown; Jesuit overtakes rival Mountainside for third consecutive team title

By Dan Brood | Photos by Dan Brood 

It was an amazing performance.

It was a historic performance.

It was a record-shattering performance.

And, maybe most important, it was a championship performance.

Cleveland senior Kyra Ly, riding a blistering first-round outing, and then staying just as hot in the second round, claimed the first girls golf title in school history, winning the Class 6A state tournament, held Monday and Tuesday at Emerald Valley Golf Club in Creswell. 

“I was really hoping to get this, just to be on the board in our gym. There aren’t really very many names up there,” Ly said during the post-tournament ceremonies. “It means a lot. I’m really glad I was able to play here this year as a senior, because our last two years were taken away due to COVID.” 

For Ly, it looks like it very much could have been worth the wait. She shot a 7-under-par round of 65 strokes during each day of the competition, giving her a state record-breaking 36-hole score of 14-under 130. That mark broke the old state standard of 133, set by Beaverton’s Gigi Stoll in 2015, when the tournament was held at Trysting Tree Golf Club in Corvallis.

“I didn’t even know what the state record was before this,” Ly said. “It’s really cool that this is happening for me.”

Meanwhile, team supremacy came down to a Metro League battle, with Jesuit coming from behind in Tuesday’s second round to claim the crown with a two-round score of 649, giving the Crusaders a 14-stroke edge over league rival Mountainside, which shot a 663.

The championship was the third in a row for Jesuit. The Crusaders triumphed in 2018 and 2019 before the 2020 and 2021 tournaments were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It means a lot. Me and the other senior, Beth (Milne), have been waiting for this a really long time, a couple years now,” Jesuit senior Zoe Park said. “Now that we’re finally able to play in the state championship, and win it, really meant a lot to me.”

“I’ve been waiting for this the entire pandemic,” Milne said. “It feels like we picked up right where we were in our freshman year, when we came back from behind to win.”

Ly, in her record-breaking, championship performance, got off to a scorching start in Monday’s first round, carding a 7-under-par score of 65 strokes, tying the 18-hole tournament record set by Ellie Slama of South Salem in 2017 at Emerald Valley.

Ly, an Oregon State commit, was especially brilliant on the back nine holes of Monday’s round, recording five birdies on the final nine holes, where she had a 5-under score of 31.

It was more of the same in Tuesday’s second round, where, again, Ly carded an 18-hole record-tying 65.

“I never thought about my score, but I thought I was capable,” Ly said.

She certainly was.

Her round Tuesday included eight birdies, including five on the front nine, and one bogey. She shot a 32 on the front nine and 33 on the back.

So, what was working?

“Everything was working,” Ly said with a big smile on her face. “My putts were dropping, my drives were going exactly where I wanted them to. For the most part, my chipping was pretty good.”

That big smile stayed on Ly’s face throughout the victory celebration.

“I’m just really happy to have all of this support, with everyone congratulating me. I’m just really happy,” Ly said. “This was so fun. I just enjoyed every shot. And the scenery here is amazing.”

Ly’s fellow Portland Interscholastic League competitor, Ida B. Wells junior Helen Brodahl, was also smiling, as she finished in second place with a 2-over two-round score of 146.

“It’s great. It means so much,” Brodahl said. “It’s kind of crazy. Kyra and I are first and second in the PIL, which is our little league, and now we’re first and second in state. That’s great, because it carries over. It makes it so much fun.”

Brodahl was in fifth place after Monday’s first round, when she shot a 1-over 73. She came out strong to start play Tuesday.

“Today, I was one under on the front, which was great. No bogeys. It was a little tougher on the back, but I kept it together to the end,” Brodahl said. “My drives — my drives were big. My drive on 18, it’s a 440 (yard) par 5, and I was 160 out after my drive. That was crazy fun.”

Since Brodahl was in one of the first groups to tee off Tuesday, she had to play the waiting game after finishing.

“I’m so happy. I’m so excited. I was anxiously watching the scores come in, and I was like, ‘Am I going to be second?’” she said.

She was — and she was really happy about it. 

“It was kind of the goal,” Brodahl said. “I knew I wasn’t going to beat Kyra. She’s just too good. The goal was to get second, and I’m so happy that I did it.”

That, of course, gave the Portland Interscholastic League a one-two finish.

“That’s awesome,” Ly said. “The PIL is not really competitive, but there are a lot of good players there, so I was really happy we could come in first and second.”

Sunset freshman Erika Kobayashi finished in third place with a two-round total of 147. Her second-round score of 71 was the second-best mark of the day.

Westview senior Momo Udom finished in fourth at 148. Mountainside senior Emily Song, Jesuit junior Anna Poulin and Tualatin sophomore Maya Promwongsa tied for fifth, each shooting a 149.

In the race for the team gold, Jesuit found itself in an unenviable position after Monday’s first round, as Mountainside led the way with a score of 315, putting the Mavericks seven shots ahead of the second-place Crusaders. But that didn’t seem to bother Jesuit.

“We had a team meeting, and we said, ‘Let’s just go play our game, not anyone else’s,’” Park said. “Yes, we talked strategy, and being on the course, but it was more mental, and staying together, working as a team.”

“We just wanted to play the best that we could as a team, and we really did that,” Milne said. “We just thought we could do it, and we did it.”

Jesuit took over in Tuesday’s second round, carding a 327, while Mountainside shot a 348.

“It was the teamwork, and the bond that we have,” Milne said of Tuesday’s performance. “We just all supported each other. Seeing each other on different holes was awesome, waving to your teammates. And I think we just putted really well today.”

“It went well,” Park said. “Personally, I had a good round, and I think everyone else did, too.” 

Poulin led the way for Jesuit with her two-round score of 149, which included a 72 in Monday’s first round. Milne had a score of 156, which put her in 12th place in the individual standings. Freshman Katie Lee shot a 162. Park carded a 182. Junior Quinn Burke, playing in Monday’s first round, shot a 94. Junior Grace Odegard, playing on Tuesday, carded a 196.

“Everyone was trying not to cry before pictures, and we were super happy,” Milne said. “It was awesome. I know the whole car ride back we’ll probably be crying and laughing and singing.”

“This was super fun,” Park said. “We all love each other so much.”

Song led the way for Mountainside with her 149. Mavericks senior Sofia Fuenmayor finished in ninth place with a score of 153. Also for Mountainside, junior Stella Lee shot a 167, sophomore Katherine Shin shot a 194, and freshman Maddie Rivera carded a 231. 

West Linn finished in third place in the team standings with a 665, and Lake Oswego was fourth at 680.