Jessica Cathey gave herself a 16th birthday present Monday.
The Soddy-Daisy junior’s even-par 36 was the best girls’ score on the back side by four strokes in the Region 3-AAA high school golf tournament at Valleybrook, and that enabled her to rally and win the individual championship. Her 5-over 76 combined with senior teammate Haley Cothran’s 78 also gave the Lady Trojans the team title and a berth in the state tournament Oct. 12-13 at Willowbrook in Manchester.
McMinn County won the boys’ championship with a 327, three shots ahead of Walker Valley, which had relegated McMinn to runner-up status in the District 5 tournament.
Cookeville’s Adam Cunningham beat White County’s A.J. Wilkerson in a playoff for medalist. They shot 3-over 74s.
Cathey trailed by three strokes at the turn to Walker Valley’s Avery George, who was in the first girls’ foursome with Cothran, who was one behind George. Cathey said she had no idea what was happening ahead of her – she was focusing on her game only.
Cathey said her putting provided the spark to her on the final nine holes but admitted to being a little fortunate when it came to dealing with nature’s elements.
“The wind was a big factor,” Cathey said. “A lot of shots, I ended up between clubs and ended up choosing the right clubs.”
Meanwhile, George and Cothran battled each other down the stretch, each making a double-bogey within the last five holes while trying to tough it out the rest of the way in. George overcame a drive into the trees on the left side of the par-5 No. 17 and ended up hitting an 8-iron on her third shot to within about four feet of the hole. She missed the sidehill-lie birdie putt and ended up missing being in a playoff by one shot.
“I should’ve made the putt,” George said.
With her runner-up 77, George was one of four girls that qualified individually for the state tournament. The others were White County’s Allison Geer (82) and Cookeville’s Angela Dixon (87) and Katya Hoffman (88).
Only region champions qualify for the state tournament as a team. The Lady Trojans, who ended up 14 shots ahead of runner-up Walker Valley (168), are seeking to defend the championship they won by one stroke over Ravenwood at Old Fort in Murfreesboro.
“This is the day I get the most nervous,” Soddy-Daisy coach Kevin Templeton said of competing in the region tournament. “It’s just 18 holes. Have a bad day and things can go sideways on you.
“They’re just tough-minded,” he said of his girls. “They’re not going to beat themselves. I’m really proud of them.”
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653.