Lake Johnson, Signal girls, Bucs teams try for state golf championship

photo Chattanooga Christian's Lake Johnson, shown here at the City Prep golf tournament at Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, tees off today in the Class A/AA state tournament in Manchester.

Chattanooga Christian seniors Lake Johnson and Scott Stevens have competed as individuals and recorded some of the best golf scores in the area over the last two years.

They were the dominant duo.

They were the Black Creek Boys, having grown up at the course and sharing a number tournaments competed there.

They were the two best high school golfers in the Chattanooga area this season. Stevens is headed to South Carolina and Johnson to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

The seasonlong schedule set up for the two to compete for the Class A/AA state championship.

Then Stevens slipped up in an out-of-town region tournament, and only Johnson advanced to the state event starting today at Willowbrook in Manchester.

"It's going to be different, and I wish he were here," said Johnson, who led after the first round last year. "I'd always wonder what Scott was doing. I'd ask around in tournaments.

"This is different, the first time it's been like this."

The Signal Mountain girls' team has plenty of experience playing in the state tournament.

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The Lady Eagles have won multiple state titles. They'll attempt to earn another with Bethany Burns and Haley Buttram leading the team.

"The girls are really excited about being back at state," Signal Mountain coach Rodney Mitchell said. "Our girls have won four out of the last five years, or something like that."

Boyd-Buchanan will have both teams competing for a state championship. They're long shots to win. But that's OK with coach Ed Connelly. His boys and girls were the featured athletes in a parade through the Boyd-Buchanan elementary school last week.

"There are some pretty good teams in the state, and we feel pretty fortunate that we're going," Connelly said. "We gave them a good sendoff. They're ready to play."

The Chattanooga area will have about 20 golfers competing for state championships this week.

Johnson, the 6-foot-3 golfer who has the frame of a basketball player, is one who could win. He had a chance last year.

He wants to finish the job this time around.

"I remember going into the second day last year and I was nervous because I hadn't been leading a big tournament," Johnson said. "I've won a decent amount of tournaments since, so I know what it's like to be in the lead.

"I'm comfortable in that situation."

Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP.

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