MANCHESTER, Tenn. — Jessica Cathey almost cried in her mother’s arms.
The Soddy-Daisy junior had thought she’d blown it for the team after posting a 7-over-par 79 in the Class AAA state championship.
It made for a nervous hour, as coach Kevin Templeton reminded them, they couldn’t play any defense against the teams still on the course at Willowbrook Golf Club.
The course played defense for them.
The Lady Trojans defended their 2009 state championship and did their part for a second straight Scenic City sweep of the three girls championships.
“I had to hope and wait and pray and things turned out for the better,” Cathey said. “I know I ruined it for myself to finish top five, but I was more worried about team state champions again. I didn’t want to let them down.”
She didn’t.
“I’m still dissatisfied with my play today, but I’m ecstatic that we won again,” Cathey said. “I know it means the world.”
Soddy-Daisy won with senior Haley Cothran shooting a 7-over 153 through two days, and Cathey shooing 153 for a total of 304. Cara Conner had the drop score both days and Sara Conner was the alternate.
“It feels so good to be back to back state champions, you have no idea and I wanted it one more time in my senior year,” said Cothran, who birdied two of her last three holes. “We pulled through and we got it.”
The Lady Trojans beat Ravenwood and Bearden by three shots, and medalist Kendall Martindale (1-under 143) helped Jefferson County finish fourth.
“It got a little more exciting that I was hoping for,” coach Kevin Templeton said. “We like boring success and not exciting failure, and that’s how it was on their first nine holes. But on the back we had a triple-bogey and a double.
“Things got dicey.”
But it wasn’t as close as last year when the Lady Trojans beat Ravenwood by one stroke. Their margin was three this time around.
The McMinn County boys tied for fifth with Science Hill at 620 after the Cherokees shaved 16 strokes from their first-day total. Hendersonville won the team championship at 592 by five shots over Houston.
“We took another step in the maturation of this team,” said McMinn County coach Jerry Quirk, who didn’t have a senior in his lineup. “I wanted to see our guys in the top and they know that they can compete with the better teams. We cleared a big hurdle and this is a great way to end the season.”
Collierville senior John Luke Tyner earned medalist honors at 6-under 138. Walker Valley junior Clark Melton shot 147, and McMinn County sophomore Will Zabo led the Cherokees with a 4-over 148.
“We mad a good turnaround today,” said Zabo, whose team shaved 16 strokes off their first-day score. “We can’t do anything but improve.”
Which may put them in position to win like the Soddy-Daisy girls.
David Uchiyama is a sports writer at the Chattanooga Times Free Press who began his tenure here in May 2001. His primary beats are UTC athletics — specifically men’s basketball and athletic department administration — and golf, which includes coverage from the PGA Tour to youth events. He also covers other high school sports, outdoor adventures, and contributes to other sections of the newspaper when necessary. David grew up in Salinas, Calif., and began working ...
Or login with:
New Account