By Andy Walter

DOVER — Mentally, Sarah Lydic wasn’t sure how to approach the final round of her high school career.

But then someone told the Indian River High senior to just have fun.

“I don’t want to look back and have bad memories from my last round for high school,” said Lydic. “So I just went out and was singing a song the entire time.”

With a Beyonce song running through her head, Lydic went out on the Maple Dale Country Club course and made it a really good memory on Wednesday.
Lydic put up a final-round 66 to finish at eight-under 136 for the two-day

DIAA state tournament and win her second state title by five shots over Tower Hill’s Sawyer Brockstedt, her former Sussex Academy teammate.

This championship came in the girls’ division for Lydic. When she won it as a freshman in 2021, both female and male players competed for the same individual title.

Middletown’s Matthew Kolbjornsen won the boys’ crown in a one-hole playoff after he and Tatnall’s Jack Homer both carded 147s.

The team championship went to Archmere. The Auks’ 539 total was just one shot better than both Caesar Rodney and Tatnall, which had 540s.

Lydic’s ‘21 state championship also came at Maple Dale.

Sarah Lydic of Indian River watching her drive from the eighth tee in the DIAA state tournament at Maple Dale Golf Club Wednesday. SPECIAL TO THE …

Starting the day one shot behind leader Kylie Yiengst of Polytech, Lydic played the first seven holes at five-under par. That included an eagle-three on No. 6.

She then capped off her round with birdies on both No. 17 and 18. Lydic, who will continue her career at Wake Forest, had 11 birdies and an eagle over her last 25 holes.

“I knew I liked this course before,” she said. “It was challenging. But in four years I’ve gained some distance so it was a lot easier this time.

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a really hard course. It’s that placement off the tee is probably key here.

“It feels good to get it back — especially my senior year,” Lydic said about winning the title. “It feels great.”

Middletown’s Kolbjornsen came back with a 72 on Wednesday after an opening-round 75. The senior overshot the green on No. 18 but made a nice chip shot to save par and get into the playoff with Homer.

On the extra hole, Kolbjornsen sank a six-foot birdie putt to earn the state title. He’s the first Middletown player to win an individual state championship in golf.

Kolbjornsen said there were times when he considered quitting the sport. His family’s support always kept him going, though.

“To have it all come to fruition — what you thought you could do when no one else really thought you could do it — was pretty sweet,” he said. “It’s enjoyable to see the people you care about happy and supportive of you.

“After hole 15, when everyone’s starting to watch you, my legs were kind of shaky. I was a little nervous. I just kept swinging. All the practice I put in made it second nature.”

Caesar Rodney finished just a couple shots shy of winning the program’s first team state crown since 2013. Evan Gebhart led the Riders on Wednesday with a 72.

Gebhart tied for fifth in the boys’ division with a two-day today of 153, six shots off the lead. Teammate Gavin Garrison was seventh with a 154.

After winning the Henlopen Conference team title, CR coach Jack Dixon said he can’t complain about a runnerup finish in the state tourney.

“Overall, it was a great season,” said Dixon. “We had some of the freshmen come out today and experience what it’s like be in contention at the state tournament. They’ve already come up to me saying that they want to be the ones playing.”

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