AVON PARK — Frostproof sophomore golfer Hannah Castillo is very fond of River Greens Golf Course, where she typically practices. Heading into the 2025 Cruchfield/Hawkins Invitational, Castillo just wanted to play well.
Monday morning through the afternoon, she did just that. Frostproof’s golfer finished with a 67, vanquishing her personal best of 68. And this is the first time that Castillo has won the tournament.
“It feels good. I knew that coming into it, I would have a chance. But I came in and made all those birdies, and I was just trying to keep it there,” Castillo said.
Castillo had great confidence heading into the tournament because just last week Frostproof played McKeel in an 18-hole match. And it came down to her and The Ledger’s 2025 Co-Player of the Year in Georgia Grace Spence. It was a duel, but Castillo came out on top, medaling in first place, which gave her great inspiration heading into Crutchfield/Hawkins.
When it was time to exhibit her skillset, she was ready. Particularly on holes 15, 16 and 17, she was able to birdie. On No. 18, she hit a good drive. When she tried to execute with a 7-wood, it went too far into the bunker on the left. Then, she hit her chip off of the bunker onto the fringe into the green before executing the putt.
It could have gotten bad for Castillo, but this helped her secure one of the lowest scores at Crutchfield/Hawkins for a Frostproof player in its history.
After the 18th hole, she bogeyed No. 1 and parred out for the rest of the holes. In all, she had two bogeys and seven birdies.
The four-time all-county player is ready for the rest of the season.
“…I know that I’m there (and) I can compete with the people I’m going to play with at state if I make it and regionals for sure. It just gives me the confidence that I’m going to go over and compete,” Castillo said.
McKeel finishes as runners-up
Despite losing Ava Bustos and Carly McNight, Mckeel as a team continued its dominance in Polk County competition by finishing second, as the team had a score of 323, just in front of Frostproof, which had a 328.
McKeel has cemented at least a second place finish at Crutchfield/Hawkins for the last four years.
“We came in second place in the first flight against a very strong Parrish team. They are ranked as a top team in Class 3A. I thought we hung in there with them … toe to toe. (They) just outlasted us,” McKeel head golf coach Jeremy Bohnenstiehl said.
Spence, who placed 11th and shot a 78, said this year was a little more challenging than last season.
“(It) was because of course conditions, and personal swing moments, but I’m excited for the next tournament … and I can’t wait to see where the team goes…,” Spence said.
Sophomore Leonie Tavares, who just transfered to McKeel this year from Santa Fe, finished in ninth place with a 77.
She said the ninth hole is where she fell into the proverbial trap.
“…I put two balls in the water (and) it just made my game a lot worse because I was playing really good. I was at -1. I wish I would have stayed calm and took a deep breath because if I did, maybe I (would have) had a better game today…,” Taveres said.
Other top-20 Polk County placers are the following: Frostproof’s Ava Griffiths (13th, 82), McKeel’s Caroline DeKalb (14th, 83), McKeel’s Diya Kavalackal (16th, 85) and Frostproof’s Faith Grant (17th, 86).
Team-wise, Lakeland Christian placed ninth.
At Pinecrest, Winter Haven’s Danica Becker claimed first with a 73, while Lakeland’s Elizabeth Hall registered second with a 77.
Other top-20 finishers are: Lakeland’s Madison Templeton (ninth, 85) and Auburndale’s Rylee Smith (13th, 91).
On the boys side at Sun’ N Lake Golf Club, Winter Haven’s Tyler Loftus was ninth with a 75, while All Saints’ Alex Kruschwitz was 15th with a 76 and George Jenkins’ Grayson Abbott and All Saints Academy’s Barrett Green were 21st with a 77. Frostproof’s Jordan Castillo was 37th.
Team-wise, George Jenkins (322) finished 11th as a team, Frostproof (325) was 14th, Winter Haven (327) registerd 15th, All Saints (327) ended with 15th, Auburndale (17th) culminated with 17th, and Lakeland Christian (343) and Lakeland (343) tallied 19th place.
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