By Clay Whittington
The Belton Journal
GEORGETOWN – Carly Marshall’s high school career could not start much better.
Lake Belton’s standout freshman made her debut at the Class 5A state tournament by shooting a two-round score of 151 to place 18th place at Georgetown’s Legacy Hills Golf Club.
She was a mere 10 eight strokes behind medal contention and owns the Lady Broncos’ second best finish at state.
Marshall’s rounds were highlighted by a birdie on the par-5 seventh hole Monday before recording two birdies on a par-3 and par-4 Tuesday.
She posted a first-round score of 75 before following with a 76.
Frisco Centennial’s Tarini Bhoga captured the championship with a 65-71–136, while Comal Pieper’s Dresden Bounds (2nd, 69-69–138) and Amarillo’s Charlee Thacker (3rd, 68-75–143) completed the top three.
In the team standings, San Antonio Alamo Heights (1st, 299-301–601), Centennial (2nd, 302-303–605) and Amarillo (3rd, 306-313–619) occupied the top three spots, while Colleyville Heritage (4th, 316-324–640) finished 21 strokes back of the group.
Marshall won the District 22-5A championship and was seventh at the Region III tournament to secure her spot at state, and she emerged from the event with the program’s second best individual showing.
This is the Lady Broncos first trip to the state tournament since 2022, when Tiffany Lange finished in a tie for 13th place overall. She also competed in the tournament in 2021 – the school’s first year of existence – as an individual, finishing in a tie for 23rd.
Belton ISD has never produced a girls state champion, but two Belton boys (Donnie Kelly, 1979; Andrew Paysse, 2013) have accomplished the feat.
