The Blue Darters opened their 2026 season Monday in the Oviedo High School Invitational at Twin Rivers Golf Club. They finished fourth out of 12 teams in their first tournament under head coach Christian Lundy. 

Apopka finished behind Spruce Creek, Lake Mary and West Orange, while finishing just ahead of Lake Brantley. The result gave the Blue Darters an early measuring stick against several of the teams they will see again throughout the season. 

Lundy began coaching Apopka golf last season, taking over toward the end of the year. This is his first full season leading the program. Away from Apopka High, Lundy serves as the athletic director at Kelly Park Middle School, where he also coaches several other sports. 

Last season, Apopka advanced to the regional tournament and came within three strokes of qualifying for the state tournament. With 20 golfers on this year’s roster, Lundy and the Blue Darters are looking to build on that momentum. 

Six players compete for Apopka in each tournament. 

The Oviedo Invitational featured 12 teams and 72 golfers, and the tournament began with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. 

Apopka opened the day among the top three teams through the first nine holes before ultimately settling into fourth place. 

Junior Paul Ancona led the way for the Blue Darters, finishing ninth individually out of 72 golfers with a score of 5-over par. 

Ancona delivered one of Apopka’s highlights of the day with a long birdie putt on the sixth hole before adding another birdie on hole 14. 

His younger brother, freshman Owen Ancona, followed closely behind, shooting 7-over par to finish 16th overall. The freshman showed consistency throughout his first high school tournament, making par on 72% of the holes while also recording a birdie. 

The brothers were paired together in a foursome with golfers from University High School (Orange) during the shotgun-start format. 

The Ancona brothers were not the only siblings representing the Blue Darters. 

Senior Isaiah Smith and sophomore Jordan Smith also competed together during the tournament. Isaiah finished 11-over par and inside the top half of the field, recording three birdies on holes 4, 6 and 10. His brother also finished in the top half at 13-over par. 

Sophomore Wyatt Pugh and senior Kyler Ransom rounded out Apopka’s six-player tournament lineup. 

The fourth-place finish gives Apopka an early indication of where it stands against some of the area’s top programs. The Blue Darters finished between West Orange and Lake Brantley, two teams they will see again when Apopka hosts a tri-meet Sept. 1 at their home course, Zellwood Golf Club. 

That matchup will provide Apopka with the first opportunity to defend its home course while continuing to measure itself against two rivals they just competed against. 

The Blue Darters followed Monday’s tournament with consecutive road matches Tuesday and Wednesday against Lake Nona and Forest Lake Academy. They will return to tournament play at the West Orange Invitational on Sept. 18.