State tourney qualifiers
- Updated: May 8, 2017
Donoho boys, White Plains girls qualify teams for state tournament; Alexandria’s Stevens wins medalist at Goose Pond
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
SCOTTSBORO — The White Plains girls golf team has a chance to win its third straight state championship now that it’s made it through the Class 4A-5A sub-state Monday, but if the Lady Wildcats do finish the job don’t call it a three-peat.
This is a completely different team going to RTJ Grand National next week after qualifying second at Goose Pond than the one that won the last two state titles by combined margin of 68 shots.
The Lady Wildcats shot 261 as a team and finished three shots behind champion Arab in the North 4A-5A tournament. They were led by Hanna Dyar’s 78 and Lexee Cunningham’s 82. Alexandria’s Abby Stevens was the sub-state medalist (77) and qualified as an individual.
A little closer to home, Donoho’s boys qualified for another trip to the state by finishing second in the 1A-2A sub-state tournament at Gadsden Country Club and Kayla Huckeba qualified as an individual from an Oxford girls team that just missed getting through the 6A South tournament at Cider Ridge.
“This is a brand new team; new year, new team,” said White Plains assistant coach Justin Mallicoat, who took the girls to Goose Pond while head coach Chris Randall went with the boys to Valley Hill. “You can talk about winning back-to-back and three-peats all you want, but this isn’t the same team we had then.
“Those two teams were very special and this one is special in itself. We’ve got a ninth-grader in the lineup (Allison Arenth) and a brand-new seventh grader (Baylie Webb) who couldn’t even try out for the team last year. This is a new team. If they win it this year it’ll be White Plains won it three years in a row, but this group, it’ll be their first one. I want to win it for this group.”
If the Lady Wildcats didn’t play well enough Monday they wouldn’t have gotten the chance to try for it. Only two teams advance out of the sub-state.
Although they stumbled a bit bringing it home – they played their final three holes in 13-over-par – they still were eight shots better than third-place county rival Alexandria. Dyar played the back nine in even-par 36 with two birdies and two bogeys.
“We found a way,” Mallicoat said. “Today was our day, we live to see next week. They stepped up to the plate and answered the challenge and we’re going to see what happens.
“We’re not going (to state) with a bull’s eye on our back. We’re going there to get better and grow as a team. It’s two days. Anything can happen.”
Stevens won for the second time in her last three tournaments by playing “the best I have all season” thanks to sharp putter. She two-putted every green except the last and she had a two-shot lead going into the hole for protection.
The Calhoun County medalist had a four-shot lead going to the back nine, double bogeyed No. 10, and then zipped off seven straight pars before her bogey at the last.
This will be her third straight trip to the state finals and second straight as an individual. She beat Leeds’ Robyn Blakey, this year’s other individual qualifier, with a birdie on the first extra hole to get one of the last spots last year and finished seventh.
“It’s really awesome,” Stevens said. “I wish the team could go with me, but it’s rewarding for all the work I’ve put in. … I hope I can keep it up so I can take home the last title.”
FALCONS FINDING THE PIECES: The Donoho boys are heading back to the state tournament after Jack Svensen gave them another low score to hang their hat on.
Svensen shot an even-par 71 for the Falcons’ low round and the fourth best round of the day. In the two tournaments leading up to the state, they have gotten Svensen’s 71, a 70 from No. 1 Jacob LeCroy and a 73 from No. 5 Buddy Ray – three scores that could put them in good shape if they got them all together.
“I think if we shoot around 300 every day at state they could have a really good chance,” Falcons coach Garrett Burgess said. “It all depends on everybody playing good at the same time. We’ve got a lot of good guys on the team who are all capable of a good day. If they all go up on the same day, we‘ve got a good chance of beating whoever we’re playing. It just kind of shows everybody has their own potential, we’ve got to get everybody doing it on the same day.”
The Falcons shot 309 Monday, 10 behind champion Westbrook Christian – and 73 shots ahead of third-place Mars Hill. In addition to Svensen’s 71, they counted a 75 from LeCroy (with a 9), an 81 from Harrison Hughston and an 82 from Holden Abernathy.
Interestingly, Svensen’s best competitive round didn’t get off to the best of starts. He double bogeyed his first hole of the day, but it actually seemed to calm him – or wake him up with the early tee times. He birdied 3 and 9 to get back to even at the turn and had it to 1-under coming to the 17 where he dumped it into a bunker after a big tee shot and didn’t get up-and-down.
“I think the double got out of my system pretty good,” Svensen said. “I had a little bit of jitters on the first hole, but after that I just played my game.”
Mars Hill was a distant third – 73 shots behind Donoho – but the Panthers produced the medalist when Ike Alexander won a scorecard playoff over Westbrook’s John Hilliard Catanzaro. Both players shot 68.
INDIVIDUALS: White Plains junior P.J. Sotelo may have had one of the most interesting rides to the state tournament of anyone in the field.
Sotelo had been in and out of the Wildcats’ lineup all season and, playing at Valley Hill as an individual, didn’t think he had much chance of advancing to Auburn after he learned the team had been nosed out for a team spot, but that was only the beginning of his incredible story.
Sotelo came to 18 needing a birdie to force a playoff for the second individual qualifier and he was 201 yards from the green off the tee. All he did was hit “probably one of the best 5-irons I’ve ever hit” to within five feet, and then center-cupped a “pretty difficult” putt for an 80 to tie Tallassee’s Tyler Winchester.
And then he was declared the winner of the playoff when Winchester, who teed off in the first twosome more than an hour before Sotelo, had long left the facility. Tournament officials called the USGA rules officials for guidance, thinking there could be a scorecard playoff, but were told a physical playoff was required and it was over when one of the principles wasn’t around to play.
Sotelo would have won the scorecard playoff anyway with the birdie at 18.
“I think it’s crazy,” Sotelo said. “I had no idea I would have been going to the state. I thought my chances were thrown out the window once the team wasn’t going.”
White Plains coach Chris Randall told his players before the round the best five of his seven playing would make the state finals lineup if the Wildcats qualified, so they all needed to play well. They finished five shots behind second-place Westminster Christian.
Nathan Griffin shot their low round and only round in the 70s – a 77 — and will be going to Grand National with Sotelo as an individual.
Randall considered subbing Sotelo for Andrew Miller in the sub-state, but was informed Wednesday if the switch were made Miller wouldn’t be able to compete in Sotelo’s individual spot because he didn’t qualify as an individual.
“P.J.’s been a guy who’s been on the fringe, in the lineup some and out of the lineup some, but he’s shot really good all year,” Randall said. “He didn’t know it but I knew he needed a birdie (on 18) to force a playoff and then he sticks a 5-iron from 200 yards to five feet. He’s the most laid-back guy we’ve got. When I get nervous I took at P.J. because he’s the coolest guy on the golf course; nothing gets to him. I was tickled to death for him.”
Oxford’s Kayla Huckeba is headed to the state tournament for the first time in three sub-state attempts. The only thing that’s disappointing is she’s not going with her teammates.
The junior shot 81 on her home course to secure the second individual qualifier spot from Cider Ridge, but the Lady Jackets missed going as a team by four shots. Spanish Fort (271) and Daphne (295) advanced; Oxford shot 298 with a big number on 14.
“Finally getting to go to state is really exciting and a good bit of relief, but at the same time it’s hard because the team didn’t go; we were right there,” Huckeba said. “It’s hard because you don’t want to hurt anyone else’s feelings and be too happy about it. I am really excited, truly, but it would be better to be there with my teammates.”
This story will be updated.
CLASS 1A-2A NORTH BOYS
At Gadsden CC
TEAM SCORES
x-Westbrook Christian 299
x-Donoho 309
Mars Hill 382
Valley Head 400
Red Bay 400
Section 410
Lindsay Lane 460
INDIVIDUAL TOP 10
yz-Ike Alexander, MH 68
x-John Hilliard Catanzaro, WC 68
y-Cody Maddox, MC 70
x-Jack Svensen, Don 71
x-William Wethington, WC 73
Nick Sawyer, CB 74
Mark Sawyer, CB 75
x-Jacob LeCroy, Don 75
Cody Cleveland, RB 76
x-Jackson Bowman, WC 79
x-Jared Patterson, WC 79
x-J.P. Pirani, WC 79
x-team qualifiers
y-individual qualifiers
z-scorecard playoff for medalist
TEAM RESULTS
WESTBROOK CHRISTIAN (299) – John Hilliard Catanzaro 68, William Wethington 73, Jackson Bowman 79, Jared Patterson 79, J.P. Pirani 79.
DONOHO (309) – Jacob LeCroy 75, Jack Svensen 71, Harrison Hughston 81, Holden Abernathy 82, Buddy Ray 91.
MARS HILL (382) – Ike Alexander 68, Tanner Boyd 91, Mason Jones 106, Nolen Aderholt 117.
RED BAY (400) – Cody Cleveland 76, Zach Humphries 88, Tucker Frederick 107, Matthew Williams 129.
VALLEY HEAD (400) – Lane Ingram 81, Ethan Harrison 106, Braden Henderson 102, Justin Blansit 111.
SECTION (410) – Matt Wilson 88, Colby Smith 94, Hunter Wilson 114, Korey Kipp 115.
LINDSAY LANE (460) – Kyle Davis 83, Ethan Canterall 105, Jason Zielinski 124, Morgan Jones 148.
INDIVIDUALS – Cody Maddox, Marion County 70; Mark Sawyer, Cedar Bluff 75; Nick Sawyer, Cedar Bluff 74; Jared Nelson, Covenant 89; John Hutto, Donoho 86; Conner West, Hatton 86; Zach York, Hatton 97; Graham Barley, Marion County 145; Payne Stancil, West End 81.
CLASS 1A-3A NORTH GIRLS
At Gadsden CC
TEAM SCORES
x-Westbrook Christian 250
x-Clements 304
Pleasant Valley 336
Glencoe 363
West Morgan 400
Weaver 405
INDIVIDUAL TOP 10
xz-Hope Cone, WC 80
y-Anna Seahorn, RB 80
x-Ellie Porter, WC 85
x-Gracie Guyton, WC 85
y-Hannah Pope, MH 87
x-Sydney Fairchild, WC 89
x- Makayla Browning, Clem 89
Lauren Cole, Glen 91
Anna Nichols, WC 100
Abigail Baker, Clem 101
x-team qualifiers
y-individual qualifiers
x-won playoff for medalist
TEAM RESULTS
WESTBROOK CHRISTIAN (250) – Hope Cone 80, Ellie Porter 85, Sydney Fairchild 89, Gracie Guyton 85.
CLEMENTS (304) – Abigail Baker 101, Makayla Browning 89, Nicole Towe 114.
PLEASANT VALLEY (336) – Gabby Fagan 108, Sarah Ford 111, Lauren Cobb 117, Gracie Davis 123.
GLENCOE (363) – Lauren Cole 91, Abby Powell 133, Camryn Blackwell 139.
WEST MORGAN (400) – Haley Hughes 131, Erika Shelton 124, Reese Ann Rodgers 145.
WEAVER (405) – Cara Burgess 129, Autumn Ray 124, Carmelia Reese 152, Marlee Wall 161.
INDIVIDUALS — Hannah Pope, Mars Hill 87; Anna Seahorn, Red Bay 80; Abbie Vingers, Sacred Heart 106; Russell Givens, Cedar Bluff 113; K.K. Atkins, Colbert Heights 122; Rebekah Fleming, Colbert Heights 108; Alyssa Gilley, Spring Garden 106; Anna Nichols, Westbrook Christian 100.
CLASS 3A NORTH BOYS
At Silver Lakes
TEAM SCORES
x-West Morgan 326
x-Lauderdale County 336
Geraldine 367
Clements 414
N. Sand Mountain 414
Glencoe 426
Brindlee Mountain 435
Lexington 459
INDIVIDUAL TOP 10
x-Dakota Terry, WM 74
y-Matt Smith, Clem 74
Brock McNeely, Glen 76
z-Logan Forrester, Ger 76
x-Walker Smith, WM 79
x-Wyatt Smith, WM 80
x-Josh Darracott, LC 80
Dawson Foust, HP 81
x-Cody Clemmons, LC 81
Ethan Johnson, PV 84
Will Bedwell, Pied 84
x-team qualifiers
y-individual qualifier
z-won playoff for individual qualifier
TEAM RESULTS
WEST MORGAN (326) – Dakota Terry 74, Walker Smith 79, Wyatt Smith 80, Holden Mullican, 93. Dalton Lindsey 98.
LAUDERDALE COUNTY (336) – Cody Clemmons 81, Josh Darracott 90, Carlton Roach 86, Saurav Acharya 89, Peyton Barrow 113.
GERALDINE (367) – Logan Forrester 76, Brandon Bright 85, Cory Clayborn 103, Riley Sisk 107, Casey Reeves 103.
CLEMENTS (414) – Matt Smith 74, Branden Tucker 109, Hunter Towe 122, Landon Martin 109.
NORTH SAND MOUNTAIN (414) — Hunter Vest 92, Hunter Hill 98, Noah Higdon 109, Tanner Stone 115, Terry Holley 122.
GLENCOE (426) – Brock McNeely 76, Blake Maxwell 109, Brandon Martin 116, Garett Fairley 125, Ethan Womack WD.
BRINDLEE MOUNTAIN (435) – Dylan Kelley 103, Triston Cantrell 106, Hunter Green 110, Sawyer Knight 116.
LEXINGTON (459) – Alex Davis 98, Austin Gist 109, Colin Down 129, Andy Clark 123.
INDIVIDUALS – Aaron Shavers, Pisgah 86; Jake Duvall, Pisgah 107; Ethan Johnson, Pleasant Valley 84; Will Bedwell, Piedmont 84; Dawson Foust, Holly Pond 81; Lance Cabiniss, Colbert Heights 101; Tanner Gooch, Colbert Heights 119; William Kelley, Lauderdale County 123.
CLASS 4A-5A NORTH GIRLS
At Goose Pond Colony, Scottsboro
TEAM SCORES
x-Arab 258
x-White Plains 261
Alexandria 269
Russellville 277
Scottsboro 278
Sylacauga 280
Etowah 319
Lawrence County 327
INDIVIDUAL TOP 10
y-Abby Stevens, Alex 77
x-Hanna Dyar, WP 78
y-Robyn Blakey, Leeds 78
x-Grace Narrell, Arab 79
x-Lexee Cunningham, WP 82
Kylie Tucker, Sboro 85
Lindsey Gordon, Syl 87
McKayla Stover 87
Ashton Moore, Russ 88
x-Autumn Tidwell, Arab 88
x-team qualifiers
y-individual qualifiers
TEAM RESULTS
ARAB (258) – Grace Narrell 79, Autumn Tidwell 88, Reagan Malone 91, Anna Ray Stidham 135.
WHITE PLAINS (261) – Hanna Dyar 78, Lexee Cunningham 82, Baylie Webb 104, Allison Arenth 101.
ALEXANDRIA (269) – Abby Stevens 77, Gracie Muncher 95, Meagan Harvey 97, Destiny Heathcock 98.
RUSSELLVILLE (277) – Bailey Tubb 104, Ashton Moore 88, Morgan Moon 95, Josie Willis 94.
SCOTTSBORO (278) – Julia Webb 94, Kylie Tucker 85, Lillian Evans 99, Maddy Childress 107.
SYLACAUGA (280) – Lindsey Gordon 87, Caitlyn McTier 100, Madelyn Friday 93, Olivia Bolton 112.
ETOWAH (319) – Miranda Nassif 93, Kaina Griffith 121, Carly Campbell 105.
LAWRENCE COUNTY (327) – Abigail Johnson 113, Rachael Porter 99, Ivy Johnson 115, Raven Johnson 117.
CLASS 4A NORTH BOYS
At Valley Hill CC, Huntsville
TEAM SCORES
x-Oneonta 309
x-Westminster Christian 325
White Plains 330
x-team qualifiers
Priceville, Cherokee County and Hokes Bluff were also in the field.
TEAM RESULTS
ONEONTA (309) – Stewart Miller 75, Will Patrick 76, Cole Davidson 69, Logan McCracken 89, Harrison Miller 96.
WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN (325) — Jake Lackey 75, Rily McRoy 76, Parker Todd 83, Brett Clark 91, William Martin 97.
WHITE PLAINS (330) – Cameron McCareeth 88, Colman Hayes 88, Nathan Griffin 77, Josh Davis 82, Andrew Miller 83.
INDIVIDUAL QUALIFERS
Nathan Griffin, White Plains 77; P.J. Sotelo, White Plains 80.
CLASS 6A GIRLS SOUTH
At Cider Ridge GC, Oxford
TEAM SCORES
x-Spanish Fort 271
x-Daphne 295
Oxford 298
Robertsdale 326
Helena 332
Benjamin Russell 369
INDIVIDUAL TOP 10
y-Brooke Samson, PC 72
x-Jordyn Hodgson, Dap 76
y-Kayla Huckeba, Ox 81
Brooke Gober, GS 86
x-Letitia Sim, SF 87
x-Amelia Bjuro, SF 90
Anna Bolton, Ox 93
x-Nicole Jayjohn, SF 94
x-Melissa McFeely, SF 95
Lindsey Oxley, Hel 99
x-team qualifiers
y-individual qualifiers
TEAM RESULTS
SPANISH FORT (271) – Amelia Bjuro 90, Letitia Sim 87, Melissa McFeely 95, Nicole Jayjohn 94
DAPHNE (295) – Jordyn Hodgson 76, Autumn Hinkley 105, Brooke Morgan 114, Elli Kate Hewes 122.
OXFORD (298) – Kayla Huckeba 81, Anna Bolton 93, Kaylee Reaves 123.
ROBERTSDALE (326) – Jewels Ontiveros 97, Lena Salter 101, Miranda Desmond 128, Anna Barnhill 129.
HELENA (332) – Lindsey Oxley 99, Adaia Washington 100, Chandler Atkins 133, Elizabeth McFall 159.
BENJAMIN RUSSELL (369) – Karlie Royster 118, Mally McInnis 123, Logan Johnson 128, Keegan Wendling 139.
INDIVIDUALS – Brooke Samson, Park Crossing 72; Adi Argent, Chilton County 109; Emma Zaiontz, Chelsea 102; Aleah Hayes, Pelham 110; Brooke Gober, Gulf Shores 86; Ansleigh Lazenby, Gulf Shores 109; Mahlynee Marino, Spanish Fort 112.
CLASS 6A BOYS SOUTH
At Cider Ridge GC, Oxford
TEAM SCORES
x-Homewood 290
x-Spanish Fort 309
Benjamin Russell 317
Gulf Shores 330
Chilton County 335
Stanhope Elmore 343
Baldwin County 361
Daphne 373
INDIVIDUAL TOP 10
y-Dylan Moncus, BR 67
x-Ford Goldasich, Home 68
x-Conner Doyal, Home 71
y-Chris Owen, Nview 71
x-Andy Reier, SF 73
Atharv Argade, SE 73
Dylan Ford, Home 73
x-Jack Poole 75
x-Jack Goldasich, Home 76
Owen Burto, SE 76
x-team qualifiers
y-individual qualifiers
TEAM RESULTS
HOMEWOOD (290) – Conner Doyal 71, Jack Goldasich 76, Jack Poole 75, Ben Harris 77, Ford Goldasich 68.
SPANISH FORT (309) – Cole Winstead 77, Joe Paul Pennington 78, Andy Reier 73, Powell Larson 83, Brendan Winters 81.
BENJAMIN RUSSELL (317) – Sawer Scott 85, Dylan Moncus 67, Kyle Reeder 80, Hal Coker 88, Matthew Cush 85.
GULF SHORES (330) – Hunter Harrelson 80, Douglas Sanders 77, Tyler Bjorgum 82, William Howard 96, Zac Coker 91.
CHILTON COUNTY (335) – Nash Cox 77, Bailey Price 84, Cole Headley 86, Turner Whatley 99, Carson Whatley 88.
STANHOPE ELMORE (343) – Atharv Argade 73, Owen Burto 76, Tanner Sheffield 95, Kade Wooten 99, Byerly Meadows 99.
BALDWIN COUNTY (361) – Owen Nobles 93, Blayne Shakelford 85, Sam Denson 95, AJ Nobles 88, Saywer McCullough 108.
DAPHNE (373) – Preston Carroll 91, Jack Mulkerne 90, Tucker Pierce 93, Tucker Jordon 102, Josh Carter 99.
INDIVIDUALS – Conner Floyd, Spanish Fort 88; Cole Komyati, Spanish Fort 82; Chris Owen, Northview 71; Dylan Ford, Homewood 73; Josh Holland, Homewood 83; Dylan Sampsell, Chelsea 88; Sawer Stice, Pell City 79; Steven Baker, Gulf Shores 92.
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