Signal Mtn Girls Claim A-AA State Golf Crown

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MANCHESTER -- The Signal Mountain High School needs to add a wing to its trophy case designated just for girls’ golf.

The Lady Eagles won their fifth A-AA state golf championship here Wednesday at WillowBrook Golf Course with a winning score of 34-over par, 322.

Starting the program in the fall of 2009, coach Rodney Mitchell and company is a pefect five for five in state championship appearances winning it all, 2009-10-11-12 and now 2014. The Lady Eagles did not win the region in 2013, thus not advancing to the state tournament.

While Signal Mountain won the team title, the Boyd Buchanan girls took third and Notre Dame junior Reese Scobey was boys’ state runner-up, while Lake Johnson of Chattanooga Christian was sixth.

40th Year of Girls State Golf

It was 1975 and GPS claimed the first TSSAA girls state golf title when there was one division. Future college All-American and hall of famer Charlotte Grant led the Bruisers to the first of three straight championships as she claimed the individual title. She went on to be the first Tennessee golfer to play on the LPGA tour.

Most Girls Golf Titles (3 or more)

Baylor leads with 18, followed by Davidson Academy (11), GPS (7), Signal Mountain (5), Franklin Road Academy (4), Soddy Daisy (3) and Bishop Byrne (3)

Signal Mountain – State Champs

Mix in four close-knit prep golfers, add a student with all A’s since acing sandbox and mastering hop scotch in kindergarten,  an impressive blend of teenage personalities along with a coach who brings out the best in each of them and you have a state championship golf team.

Led by overall third place finisher Bethany Burns (+11, 155), the Lady Eagles of Signal Mountain won the TSSAA A-AA state crown with a 36-hole total of +34, 322 finishing ahead of runner-up Christ Presbyterian Academy (+52, 340) and third place Boyd Buchanan (+59, 347) in the eight-team field.

“I am proud of the players as they were focused today and played well with the lead,†said Signal Mountain coach Rodney Mitchell whose team held a five shot lead after Day One.

“All three girls shot better today than they did on Day One which is a tribute to them as they came out with the idea of playing steady and making pars.â€

Burns shot 79-76 (155), Taylor Gardner posted 85-82 (167) and Haley Buttram shot (93-87 (180).

“Bethany did a great job this year as captain and really embraced that role,†Mitchell stated.

Team Traditions

“We are not superstitious, but …† According to Burns, the team wears black on black the second day of the state tournament and has won all five times they have been here.

“I also have worn the same pair of socks during the district, region and state tournaments,†Burns stated.

Special Meals

Dinner – Logan’s Road House – night before the first round

O’Charley’s – the night after the first round

Boskey’s (restaurant at Willowbrook Golf Course) to celebrate another title

Signal Mountain Bios

Smartest – Bethany Burns (4.0 and has never made a B all the way back to kindergarten)

Best Athlete – Olivia Stovall who also plays lacrosse

Best Dancer – Haley Buttram

Best Dresser (i.e. classiest) – Bethany Burns

Goofiest (hands down according to teammates) -  Bethany Burns

The Quiet One –Taylor Gardner

The Talkative One – Bethany Burns (who would have guessed !)

Best Teeth – Taylor Gardner

Best Hair – Taylor Gardner

Good Home Course - The Lady Eagles use Signal Mountain Golf Course as their home course.

"Signal Mountain Golf Club has been great to us in letting us play our home matches there and also practice," said coach Mitchell.

Reese Scobey Boys Runner-up

Consistency was the name of the game for Notre Dame junior Reese Scobey as he played steady golf for two days at the TSSAA A-AA state golf tournament – 28 pars, 4 birdies, 1 eagle and only 3 bogies – and took home state runner-up honors.

Sophomore Davis Shore (Christian Academy of Knoxville) took home individual medalist honors with a 10-under 134 (12 birdies, 2 bogies), while Lake Johnson (Chattanooga Christian) was 6th at 1-over 145 and Zac Bombassi (Notre Dame) tied for 10th (+7 151).

 â€œI was pleased with my play this week as I putted the ball well, but just didn’t have many fall for birdies today,†said Scobey who shot a 3-under 141 (4-under Tuesday and 1-over Wednesday).

“Davis played real well this week and I would have had to make several birdies on the front nine (he only made one) to have any chance at winning.  He is a strong player and you want the best golfers in the tournament to make you play your best.â€

Good Month on the Links: Scobey has had a good September, winning the region last week and finishing second in the state today. Not one to rest on his recent success, he plans to play in a junior tournament at Brown Acres this weekend.

He is the third Irish boys’ golfer to finish second in the state following Donnie Nichol (1985) and Alex Riddle (2012).

Boys’ Team Champions: Christ Presbyterian Academy won its first state golf championship since 2008 scoring a +32, 608 edging CAK (611, +35)  by three, while Boyd Buchanan placed seventh in the eight team field with a +93, 669.

Luke Zieman led CPA with a -2, 142 and finished third overall behind Shore and Scobey.

 

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

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