Brentwood, Brentwood Academy repeat as TSSAA boys golf champs; Page girls win AA title

Posted by Admin October 11, 2024 Golf

The Brentwood and Brentwood Academy boys golf teams didn’t disappoint, capturing consecutive TSSAA state golf championships during Friday’s rounds of the Class AA and Division II-AA tournaments respectively at the Sevierville Golf Club in Sevierville.

Page finished with its first girls Class AA state title while St. Mary’s earned the DII-AA girls championship by nine strokes over Baylor.

Brentwood Academy’s 1-2 punch to win DII-AA

With the departure of three-time state champion Blades Brown, who decided to leave Brentwood Academy this past summer to be homeschooled., there may have been some doubt if the Eagles could win a second consecutive title.

Carter Graham and Andrew Sciortino silenced any skeptics. Graham finished with the individual DII-AA state title after shooting a two-day total of 13-under 131. Sciortino finished state runner-up with an 11-under 133.

“It’s pretty satisfying and gratifying,” Brentwood Academy coach Buddy Alexander said after his team shot a 568, eight strokes better than state runner-up MUS. “We obviously had a great golfer in Blades Brown, but we knew we still had the talent to get it done.”

Graham shot a blistering 64 in Thursday’s first round. Sciortino duplicated that score Friday. The Eagles’ Stewart Claassen finished tied for 12th while Brooks Halstead and William Cothran tied for 28th.

“We knew MUS was solid,” Alexander said. “They had four or five kids who are at par or slightly under par and we knew they were the team to beat going in. But what Carter and Andrew did … team golf is different, and it’s hard to stand out. But they did Thursday and Friday.”

Bruins run away with Class AA boys crown

Brentwood captured the program’s fourth state title and third since 2021. The Bruins (585) ran away from the field with a 20-stroke advantage over state runner-up Bearden.

Luke Purifoy had the highest place among Brentwood golfers, finishing fifth at par 144. Teammate Jack Doyle tied for seventh (3-over 147) and Bennett Lynd tied for 10th (4-over 148).

Cookeville’s Owen Hill won the boys AA state title with a two-day, 5-under 139. Hill shot a 69 on Thursday and followed with a 70 Friday. Page’s Laird Williams was one stroke off that score to take runner-up with a 4-under 140.

Page outlasts Central Magnet in playoff

Page and Central Magnet both had never won a team state championship in golf. Both competed in their third state tournament and tied with a 301 score. Page captured the team title by beating Central Magnet in the first playoff hole.

Page rallied from a four-stroke deficit entering Friday, shooting a 147 in the final round before needing a playoff to decide the matter.

“Last year we lost (to Dobyns-Bennett) by a stroke,” Page coach Jamie Eickhoff said. “But in the playoff, Gabby Diaz reached the par-5 (green) in two, and then two-putted for birdie to give us the win outright.

“We knew we had the talent and, in a way, squandered it last year,” Eickoff said. “But we came through this year and it was special to see, and something to be proud of.”

Page’s Brooke Bennett finished ninth with a two-day total of 150. Diaz tied for 10th at 151.

William Blount’s Sophia Gambini won the individual state title in a three-way playoff by sinking a birdie on the third playoff hole. She beat out Dickson County’s Poppy Pewitt and Hardin Valley’s Addisyn Newman. All three shot par 140 during the two-day tournament.

Hutchison’s Catherine Bowie claims DII-AA girls title

Catherine Bowie finished ninth in last year’s state tournament, struggling in the final round with an 82 after shooting a 73 on the first day. She didn’t make the same mistake twice, following up her 66 on Thursday with a 70 Friday to take home the title by three shots.

St. Mary’s had two golfers who finished in the top three with Hana Barber (1-under 139) taking state runner-up and Jada Lin (4-over 144) finishing tied for third. It’s St. Mary’s first team state title since 2016.

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Reach sports writer George Robinson at georgerobinsontheleafchronicle.com and on the X platform (formerly Twitter) @Cville_Sports.