SYRACUSE — The Davis Darts have become accustomed over the years to hoisting state championship golf trophies.

Prior to Thursday, however, those trophies have always been earned by the Darts' boys golf teams. But with smart play from the star player and outstanding balance from the rest of the team, the Dart girls are following the path set by the boys golf teams by winning the first-ever 5A Utah High School Girls Golf Championship at Glen Eagle Golf Course.

"This is awesome for the school," Dart coach Neal Porter said. "To keep up with the boys and get our own tradition started is just awesome."

Davis, under the Stableford scoring format in which points are awarded for double eagle through quadruple bogey, totaled 227 points to top the Brighton Bengals (222) by five points and the Bingham Miners (215) by 12 points. Syracuse finished third, Weber fourth and Skyline fifth.

Katherine Ashby led the way for the Darts with a score of 7-over 79 on the tight Glen Eagle layout, good for 83 points. Right behind was Carly Oldroyd, who turned in a fine 84 for 78 points.

Perhaps the real difference in the team total, which is composed of the points from each team's top three scorers, was the round turned in by Davis' No. 4 player Jenny Peterson. Her 66 points were the highest for any No. 4 seeded player in the entire field.

"We got a good round from every player, and we've been consistent all year long and figured our balance was going to give us as good a chance as anybody," Porter said.

The Darts attacked Glen Eagle with one simple strategy — keep the ball in play and take only what the course is giving. That game plan was exemplified in how Ashby played her final hole after the deep rough on the par-5 18th grabbed her club on her second shot and left her about 175 yards from the green. But she avoided the temptation of hitting over the pond and to the green, laid up instead and still made a par after hitting a wedge to within 6 feet.

"We just wanted to keep the ball in play," Porter said.

Weber's Tara Green, a sophomore, turned in the day's best round to win medalist honors with an even-par 72 and a high of 90 points. She was steady all the way, with four birdies and four bogeys. She had a chance to break par but ended with a bogey six on No. 18.

"I've been pretty confident with my game this season, but today my whole game was just awesome," Green said.

Green finished four points ahead of Syracuse's Amanda Snyder (86) and five points up on Skyline's Nicole Gaddie, who tallied 85. Ashby finished in fourth and Niki Collinsworth of Brighton (80) grabbed the fifth spot.

e-mail: jimr@desnews.com