She should have been standing on the winner's podium collecting a trophy that was rightfully hers, but instead a high school student who won a golf competition was denied victory - all because she is a girl.

Emily Nash, a junior a Lununburg High School in Massachusetts beat her fellow competitors who were boys by four shots, but Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association rules prohibit her from claiming the CMass D3 title.

According to some specific, yet convoluted sporting rules from the MIAA, 'girls playing on a fall boys' team cannot be entered in the Boys Fall Individual Tournament. They can only play in the Boys Team Tournament. If qualified, they can play in the spring Girls Sectional and State Championships.'

Lunenburg High junior Emily Nash shot a 75 in the Central Mass. Division 3 boys' golf tournament but was denied the winner's trophy girl's individual scores do not count

Her 3-over-par score was four shots better than runner-up Nico Ciolino but she wasn't awarded the first-place trophy

Emily won the Central Mass. Division 3 boys' golf tournament at Blissful Meadows on Tuesday with a 3-over-par and came in four shots better than runner-up Nico Ciolino of the Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School.

Because Emily didn't win the first-place trophy she won't now receive an invitation to next week's tournament in Wyantenuck CC in Great Barrington because a girl competing in the tournament is against the rules.

'It's a real injustice that she wasn't announced as the winner,' Robert Dufresne, a volunteer rules official with the Massachusetts Golf Association, who helped oversee the tournament, told the the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

'It was complete garbage,' Dave Kocur, the Blissful Meadows Pro Shop manager, said to PGA.com. 'She played the same tees, played under the same conditions and everything.'

Tournament director Kevin Riordan said Emily and her coach were aware of the policy before the start of the round

Emily's score on Tuesday only counted toward the team's total, which was not enough to qualify for the state tournament.

Emily was apparently aware of the rules before the tournament began and decided to play anyway.

In a gesture of sportsmanship, Nico, who was awarded the first-place trophy offered Emily, the rightful winner, his trophy, but she declined to accept.

'He felt so bad about it that he actually tried to give the trophy to Emily,' Kocur said. 'That showed a lot of class. But, she didn't want to take it because she was too disappointed.'

Kevin Riordan, director for the Central Mass. Division 3 boys' golf tournament, called Ciolino's gesture a 'classy act' and said he plans to personally purchase a first-place trophy for Emily.