There’s a familiar feel to the top of the respective leader-boards following the opening round of the 1A/2A state championship golf tournament on Tuesday at the University of Maryland golf course.

Strong play down the stretch helped Poolesville’s Olivia Cong and North East’s Noah Wallace take the first step to defending the individual state titles they captured a year ago at the same venue.

Cong played her final seven holes in 1-under par, taking advantage of birdies on the fifth and eighth holes, to post a total of 70 (-1) and take a two-shot advantage over Glenelg’s Megan Kirkpatrick (72).

Wallace accomplished a very similar feat to Cong, playing his final six holes in 1-under par on his way to a round of 73 (2-over). He birdied the par 5 16th hole to highlight his closing stretch and he now owns a one-stroke lead over a trio of players — Brunswick’s Hank Adams, C. Milton Wright’s Jackson Geyer and Hereford’s Adam Green — who all shot 74.

In the team competition, Cong’s Poolesville squad has repeat aspirations of its own and is in the early lead after posting a four-player total of 317. Poolesville won last year’s 1A/2A team title with a two-day total of 669. South Carroll sits in second place (319) and Brunswick in third (326).

The cut score for 1A/2A boys individuals is 80, while it is 82 for girls.

All of the qualifying golfers will return on Wednesday morning for the final round, which is scheduled to tee off with a shotgun start at 9 a.m.

Cong shot back-to-back rounds of 72 a year ago to win the title by four shots. She was challenged by Kirkpatrick during most of the opening round this year, though.

The two players were tied at even par overall through the first 13 holes. Cong’s strong finish, combined with a bogey by Kirkpatrick on the seventh hole, helped create the separation by the end of the round.

Kirkpatrick finished in fourth place at last year’s state championship tournament with back-to-back rounds of 79.

Rounding out the current top five for the girls are Stephen Decatur’s Sam Boger (73), La Plata’s Shelby Herbert (78) and Boonsboro’s Piper Meredith (78).

Wallace had himself three shots clear of the field following an opening-round 72 a year ago. Things are much tighter this fall, however, as seven players are currently within two shots of Wallace’s leading score.

Behind the trio of players at 3-over par, there are four more — Brunswick’s Luke Adams, Manchester Valley’s Parker Bopst, Huntingtown’s Cameron Kapiskosky and South Carroll’s Michael Valerio — who finished with scores of 75.

Team scores:

1. Poolesville, 317; 2. South Carroll, 319; 3. Brunswick, 326; 4. Manchester Valley, 331; 5. C. Milton Wright, 332; 6. Boonsboro, 333; 7. Huntingtown, 334; 8. Stephen Decatur, 342; 9. Winters Mill, 342.

Top 10 girls:

1. Olivia Cong, Poolesville, 70; 2. Megan Kirkpatrick, Glenelg, 72; 3. Sam Boger, Stephen Decatur, 73; T4. Shelby Meredith, La Plata, 78; T4. Piper Meredith, Boonsboro, 78; 6. Kinley Stokes, Poolesville, 82; 7. Jupiter Moore, Fallston, 85; 8. Alexandra Swam, Brunswick, 87; 9. Makenna Hill, Poolesville, 90; 10. Isabella Westerfield, Easton, 93.

Top 10 boys:

1. Noah Wallace, North East, 73; T2. Hank Adams, Brunswick, 74; T2. Jackson Geyer, C. Milton Wright, 74; T2. Adam Green, Hereford, 74; T5. Luke Adams, Brunswick, 75; T5. Parker Bopst, Manchester Valley, 75; T5. Camero Kapiskosky, Huntingtown, 75; T5. Michael Valerio, South Carroll, 75; 9. Blake Nichols, Huntingtown, 77; T10. Trevor Heid, C. Milton Wright, 78; T10. Hank Lewis, Southern-Garrett, 78; T10. Gianni Serafin, Winters Mill, 78.