Local players to watch
BOYS’ PLAYERS TO WATCH1. Cade Puryear, Walker Valley, Jr.: He helped the Mustangs get to the Class AAA state tournament, where he shot 75 the second day. He placed fifth in the Region 3 tournament and fourth in the District 5 tournament.2. Gavin Roberson, Baylor, Sr.: Although perhaps more well known for his baseball prowess, Roberson will be in the starting lineup for a fourth year. He shot 75 in the 2015 Division II-AA East/Middle Region tournament.3. Jake Campbell, Boyd-Buchanan, Sr.: He is in the top five in points standings in Chattanooga District Golf Association tournaments this summer. He recently had a top-20 finish in the Men’s Metro tournament at Council Fire.GIRLS’ PLAYERS TO WATCH1. Rheagan Hall, Cleveland, Jr.: She qualified for last year’s Class AAA state tournament as an individual and shot 76 each day for a 10th-place finish. She was fourth in the City Prep tournament at Bear Trace with a 75.2. Jayla Sims, Soddy-Daisy, Sr.: She also qualified as an individual for the 2015 Class AAA state tournament, where she tied for 24th. She competed in the City Prep tournament, too, and finished 10th with an 81.3. Danielle Bates, Baylor, Sr.: She’s expected to be a leader as she returns to the lineup as a regular this season. She tied for fifth as a sophomore in the Division II-AA state tournament and won the East/Middle Region that year.BOYS’ TEAMS TO WATCH1. Baylor: The Red Raiders no longer have the nucleus of the team that won the 2015 Division II-AA state tournament. But they return three who contributed, including sophomore Sam Marshall (78-78 at state).2. McCallie: The Blue Tornado edged Baylor 286-287 for second place in the East/Middle Region last year. They will be mostly consist of sophomores and freshmen, but return senior Steven Bernstein.3. Boyd-Buchanan: The Bucs are looking to get back to the Class A/AA state tournament after missing out last year. One graduated, but they return senior Jake Campbell and a talented sophomore class.GIRLS’ TEAMS TO WATCH1. Baylor: The Lady Red Raiders graduated several contributors from their Division II-AA state runner-up team that also won the East/Middle Region a year ago. But this is Baylor, a program with plenty of ammunition.2. GPS: The Bruisers finished third in last year’s Division II-AA state tournament and graduated their lowest scorer. But the others return, including junior McKenzie Frizzell, who tied for 12th in the tournament.3. Boyd-Buchanan: The Lady Buccaneers were a Class A/AA state-tournament team last year. Lydia Campbell and Zacori Hill gained valuable experience as freshmen and could lead a repeat tournament run.
Boyd-Buchanan's boys' golf team had big plans last October, but it rained on the Buccaneers' parade.
Well, they didn't exactly have a parade. There was nothing to celebrate since they didn't win the TSSAA Class A/AA state tournament.
They didn't even get there.
Spoiled by rain were Boyd-Buchanan's plans of winning the Region 3 tournament at The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay the week before. With no individual breaking 80 on that dreary day, McMinn Central's Chargers managed to win the boys' team title.
"All the scores that day were high," Boyd-Buchanan coach Ed Connelly said, "but they played better than everybody else."
The eight region winners across the state comprise the state-tournament field. And the Bucs had plenty of reason for optimism, considering they were 16-0 in the regular season and had won the District 5 tournament at Chatata Valley in Cleveland.
The first step toward redemption begins Monday - the first day of the 2016 season. Boyd-Buchanan and Polk County get things under way locally with an 18-hole match at Chatata Valley scheduled to start at 10 a.m.
The Bucs graduated one of their top players in Jack Wood, one of Connelly's grandsons. Again they'll have one senior in the starting lineup, Jake Campbell.
"It's definitely a change," Campbell said. "But I really like the leadership role. I know it needs to be done."
Also returning is Wood's younger brother, Hayes. He's one of five sophomores expected to fill out the starting lineup.
"All the guys are two or three inches bigger now and hit it 20 or 30 yards more on their drives," Connelly said of the underclassmen. "They all score good. They've worked hard, particularly on their short game.
"Any good player now can get it to the green in two (on par 4s)," Connelly said. "It's what you do with your third and fourth shots."
Connelly noted specifically among the sophomores that Trent Cooper has had a noticeable upgrade since last year.
"Trent has improved his game tremendously," Connelly said. "He's done well, but so have the rest of them. He shot a couple of rounds in the 30s last week. He's dropped his score about seven or eight strokes."
Rounding out the starting lineup are Riley Covington, Bowman Blocker and Cameron Baubach.
"We all play pretty good. Everybody shoots in the high 30s and low 40s," Covington said of the starters' nine-hole averages. "We've still played together a lot after the season. That's helped a lot.
"We have the same mindset as last year. But we know how poorly we played in the region, and we don't want to do that this year."
The Bucs did not play a match in rain last season until they got to the region tournament. Campbell vows not to get caught off guard at any point this season.
"I have purposely played on days that it rained, or I've gone to the driving range," Campbell said. "I've worked on clutching the club, having a firm grip on the club, or not holding it the wrong way."
That shows Campbell is motivated to return to the state tournament, where he played all four rounds when Boyd-Buchanan qualified in 2013 and 2014. But the only other Bucs golfer with state-tournament experience is Hayes Wood when he was an eighth-grader.
Connelly believes this group of players can put last year behind them and return to the state tournament at WillowBrook Golf Club in Manchester.
If they do that, and win it, who knows? Maybe they'll have a parade - rain or shine.
"I personally haven't gone up there," Covington said. "The majority of us haven't. We want to go up there and compete."
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him at Twitter.com@KelleySmiddie.