D-II A & AA State Golf Preview

[bbb]

MANCHESTER - Baylor School boys and girls golf teams look to defend their TSSAA D-II AA state championships, but Ensworth (girls) and McCallie and MBA (boys) are the biggest challengers as the state tournament is today and Tuesday here at WillowBrook Golf Club.

 

In D-II A, Franklin Road Academy girls are back to defend their title, but 2012 boys champ Evangelical Christian failed to finish in top four in the West Region ... St. George’s won the West Region and won state titles in 2007-08-10.

 

If You Are Going: D-II A and D-II AA State Golf Championship:

 

Mon.-Tues. Sept 23-24 … WillowBrook Golf Club in Manchester

6751 McMinnville Hwy … Exit 111 off I-24 ….

 

18 holes, stroke play both days …

 

Start Times: 9 a.m. EDT … on Nos. 1 & 10 … girls play first …

 

Tickets: $8 each day … free parking

 

Note: D-I AAA state is Oct. 1-2 … D-I A-AA is Oct. 8-9

 

Tee Time of Note: D-II AA Girls - 9 a.m. (EDT)  ... No. 10 tee … the past two state champions Blakesly Warren (Baylor, 2012) and Alexandra Farnsworth (Ensworth, 2011) are paired together  â€¦ Farnsworth won the Middle/East Region last week.

 

Best Names: Win Temple (BGA) was Middle/East medalist with a 72 ... but Chase Harris

(Univ. School Jackson, 76) hopes to catch him … and MBA has a Chase Matthews ... and Baylor has Chase Rosewell … wonder if Turner South (Knox Webb) will go to work for Ted Turner one day ?  …  Golfing Name: Mason Rudolph plays for MUS and shot a 77 at region

 

Home Course Advantage??: Jenna Burris of St. Andrews-Sewanee School won the D-II A Middle/East Region with a course record 69 at Old Hickory … note: her parents own WillowBrook Golf Club … Jenna tees off Monday at 9 a.m. EDT.

 

Back to Defend Titles:  Baylor boys and girls … Franklin Road Academy girls …

Blakesly Warren (Baylor) in D-II AA girls … Grant Hirschman (St. George’s) in D-II A boys  

 

D-II AA Boys: Defending State Champ – Baylor

Should be a four-team race as region champs MBA (Middle/East) and MUS (West) both shot 297 to win the respective regions … Baylor is defending state champ and McCallie won it in 2011 and 2012 ... individual region champs are Patrick McDonald (McCallie) and Hays Moreland (MUS) both shot 68 for region medalist honors ... Baylor finished fourth at region in 2012 and won the state by 11 shots ... MBA has not won a state golf title since 1982 ... MUS last won in 1996 …

 

D-II A Boys: 2012 State Champion – Evangelical Christian

St. George’s won the West Region and looks to be the favorite to win its fourth title in seven years … 2012 state champ Evangelical Christian did not qualify … Battle Ground Academy edged Knox Webb for the Middle/East Region …

 

St. George’s had four of its five golfers shoot 75 or better at region led by defending state champ Grant Hirschman (71) …

 

First Boys State Tourney, 1938 … won by Morristown HS at Morristown Country Club

 

D-II AA Girls: 2012 State Champion - Baylor

Ensworth and Baylor are the pre-toumey favorites in the 39th girls state tourney… Ensworth ended Baylor’s 16-year reign in 2011, but Baylor re-captured the title a year ago … Ensworth won this year’s region … and St. Agnes won the West Region

 

Rubber Match: Seniors Blakesly Warren (Baylor) and Alexandra Farnsworth (Ensworth meet for the last time in a high school meet … Farnsworth won the individual state crown in 2011 and led her team to its first golf title …. Blakesly returned the favor last fall winning the individual crown and helped the Red Raiders to the team championship … Warren has committed to Tennessee and Farnsworth to Vandy so the will see plenty of each other for the next four years.

 

D-II A Girls: 2012 State Champion – Franklin Road Academy

FRA won the Middle/East Region and is led by sophomore and 2012 state runner-up Nicole Page ... First Assembly Christian School won the West Region … Jenna Burris (SAS) shot a 69 at Middle/East Region and was only player to break 70

 

First State Tournament, 1975 - won by GPS at Horton

 

2012 Results

D-II AA Boys Baylor finished fourth in the Middle/East Region and won the state by 11 shots over two-time defending champion McCallie

Blake Maum (Baylor) – individual champ, 139

 

D-II AA Girls: Baylor edged 2012 champ Ensworth by one shot, 298-299

Blakesly Warren (Baylor) – individual champ, 144 … defeated 2012 champ Alexandra Farnsworth (Ensworth) in a playoff

 

D-II A Boys: Evangelical Christian (609) defeated St. George’s (610) and Knox. Webb (610) by one shot ….

Grant Hirschman  (St. George’s) – individual champ, 137

 

D-II A Girls: Franklin Road Academy (296) as an easy winner – 45 shots ahead of runner-up Univ. School of Nashville (341) ...

Not surprisingly, FRA was at the top of the individual leader board as senior Rachel Johnson and freshman Nicole Page … both shot 138 with Johnson winning in a playoff.

Rachel Johnson (FRA) – individual champ, 138 (won in playoff)

 

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net

 

story also posted on chattanoogan.com

Edited September 23, 2013 by bbb