City Prep Championship
Bear Trace at Harrison BayWednesday scoresBoys (Par 72, 6,545 yards): 285—Baylor (Oliver Simonsen 65, Chase Roswall 68, Matt McKinney 73, Gavin Roberson 79). 301—McCallie (Evan Spence 72, Jake Allstun 73, Matthew McBrayer 74, Griff Jayne 82); Walker Valley (Dylan Lillard 69, Cade Puryear 73, Parker Gray 76, Nick McCraken 83). 314—Cleveland (Cade Caprara 74, Tucker Jones 77, Drew Linkous 78, Allen Swetman 85). 315—Notre Dame (Reese Scobey 71, Zach Riddle 74, Jared Nelson 77, Ned Warwick 93). 323—East Hamilton (Tyson Venable 73, Taylor Vanzant 79, Jeremy Kimbrough 83, Miller Wick 88). 324—McMinn County (Chance Smith 79, Matt Mays 80, Nicolas Thompson 81, Dylan Leamon 84). 334—Signal Mountain (Jacob Bailey 70, Knox Billings 88, Charles Beasley 88, Briston Reese 88). Individuals: 70—Brandon Nolan (SD). 74—Tate Truong (Hixson). 79—Jack Wood (BB); Casey Tull (Collegedale). 80—Jared Thomas (Hixson); Austin Howell (SBA); Tyler Ferguson (Bradley Central). 82—Dylan Miller (McMinn Central); Bruce Wilson (Hixson). 87—Russell Green (Rhea). 89—Seth Ward (McMinn Central). 90—Logan Grinder (Ooltewah). 93—Hayes Wood (Boyd-Buchanan). 96—Blake Totton (Marion).Girls (Par 72, 5,972 yards): 140—Baylor (Elina Saksa 68, Katherine Holmes 72). 152—Signal Mountain (Bethany Burns 76, Taylor Gardner 76). 159—GPS (Mary Melissa Manuel 76, McKenzie Frizzell 83). 164—Walker Valley (Katie Medley 79, Kelsey Cassada 85). 189—Hixson (Haley Chaulker 93, Madalyn Standifer 96). Individuals: 73—Kaitlyn Sneed (Meigs). 75—Rheagan Hall (Cleveland). 81—Jayla Sims (Soddy-Daisy). 83—Olivia Williams (Bradley Central). 88—Madalyn Hembree (East Hamilton). 92—Lydia Campbell (Boyd-Buchanan). 94—Zacori Hill (Boyd-Buchanan). 97—Anna Beth Harris (CCS). 98—Georgia Ervin (Notre Dame). 100—McCall Price (SBA). 109—Mattie Cardin (McMinn Central).
Colors on the scoreboard at the City Prep Championship ran red - for under-par scores and for Baylor.
The Red Raiders collected the four biggest prizes in the annual tournament Wednesday at Bear Trace at Harrison Bay. Baylor won both team championships, with Oliver Simonsen and Elina Saksa earning medalist honors and their teammates finishing second.
"It was the next step in the progression toward October and the state championships," Baylor coach Gary Partrick said. "The boys beat their goal by 15 shots, and the girls are 4-for-4 in tournament play this year. Both are trying to get better every time out."
The Baylor boys combined to shoot a 3-under-par 285 while playing the blue tees, which measure 6,545 yards. McCallie and Walker Valley tied for second at 301.
"Our goal every time out is to break 300," said Partrick, whose teams swept last year's championship. "For the most part, we stayed away from big numbers. We preach to make a bogey for the team instead of an all-world par when you smell trouble. Obviously, we hit a lot of fairways and greens. I hope it continues."
Simonsen, a senior who has committed to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, blistered the course on a steamy day by shooting a 7-under 65. His round included seven birdies - including his first two holes of the day - an eagle and two bogeys. He hit every fairway, but only 12 greens. Yet he had only 26 putts.
"I was making the putts that were necessary to help my team win," Simonsen said. "Whenever I needed to make par putts, I did. After birdies on the first two, I thought, 'This could be a good day.'"
It turned out to be Simonsen's personal-best tournament round. He shot a 63 once, but not in a tournament.
"It feels good this year because it's my last year and I wanted to do something good for my team," Simonsen said. "To shoot 65 at this course is pretty cool, because the best players in Chattanooga are here."
Baylor junior Chase Roswall was runner-up with a 4-under 68. Walker Valley senior Dylan Lillard, who will play for Lee University next year, placed third with a 69, and Signal Mountain's Jacob Bailey was fourth with a 70.
"It means more to win as a team this year because we have three seniors and it proves that our tougher practices have improved different parts of our game," Roswall said. "We're doing things that we didn't do last year. It's paying off."
Baylor's Elina Saksa tees off at the City Prep Championship on Wednesday at Bear Trace on Harrison Bay. Saksa was the individual medalist in the girls tournament after shooting a 4-under-par 68, and she combined with Katherine Holmes for a 140 as the Lady Raiders won the team title. Baylor's boys also won the team and individual championships.The Lady Raiders shot a 4-under 140 and beat runner-up Signal Mountain by 12 strokes. Freshman Elina Saksa earned medalist honors with a 4-under 68 while playing Bear Trace for the first time, while teammate Katherine Holmes was second with a 72. Meigs County senior Kaitlyn Sneed was third with a 73.
"Winning this gets us pretty pumped up, because we keep winning events," said Holmes, whose final college choices include MTSU, Eastern Kentucky and Mississippi State. "We have the confidence to keep on winning."
Saksa is one of two Lady Raiders who grew up in Finland. Sophomore Tia Teiniketo shot a 2-over 74 but had the drop score. Saksa's 68 included birdies on the first two holes and final two holes, with another birdie and a bogey in between.
"I hit it so good," she said. "I didn't make a lot of mistakes.
"I really like Chattanooga. It's not like Manhattan, but you still have plenty of people to talk with, and everybody is so friendly. Everybody."
Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6484. Follow him at Twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP