Southside High School’s girls’ golf team won its first-ever team state championship at the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) State Golf Championships, according to a May 10 announcement. The victory marks a milestone for the young program, as the Sharks secured the Girls Division I title at Le Triomphe Golf & Country Club.
The achievement is significant for Southside, which is still building its athletic tradition. The win not only adds a trophy to the school’s collection but also establishes a foundation for future teams and athletes. For many schools with long histories, championships add to existing legacies; for Southside, this victory begins one.
Junior Rhyan Marcelissen led her team with rounds of 75 and 77, finishing fourth individually at six-over par. Teammates Caroline Endsley and Avery Lusk contributed key scores that helped secure the title. “It means a lot because this is one of the first state championships we’ve brought home for Southside,” Marcelissen said. “So it’s just very exciting to be one of those people to do it.” She added about her final hole performance: “If I make the putt then it’s definitely verified that we take it, so making that putt was extra special.”
The LHSAA held this year’s event at Le Triomphe Golf & Country Club in Broussard for the first time, providing what organizers described as tour-level conditions over two days of competition across several courses in Acadiana. Each girls’ golf team fields three players under current rules; next season will see an increase to four golfers per team while keeping only two scores each day toward totals.
Marcelissen noted that all three members of Southside’s championship squad will return next season: “Me and Caroline’s senior year, so we want to try and win it our last year.” While sports outcomes are never certain, their historic accomplishment has already secured them a lasting place in school history.
Reflecting on broader implications, Director of Communications Ethan W. Anderson said these stories highlight why high school athletics matter: “State championships are supposed to celebrate winners, but sometimes the best stories are about beginnings.”
