Postseason golf in full swing

SM-Tn Sports

Shelbyville’s River Bend Golf Club and the District 3 Division II-A tournament field took their toll on participants from Columbia Academy, but one local product moved on to regional competition.

CA junior Jenna Montgomery was among five individuals to move on next week’s DII-A Middle Region tourney at River Bend, finishing at 125.

“It shows a lot of improvement on her part,” coach Madison Smith said of Montgomery. “Last year she struggled pretty badly. She didn’t make it the full 18 holes and had to withdraw.

“Completing the tournament and advancing – I’m really proud of her. She’s worked hard.”

On the boys side, CA eighth-grader Seth Hulen finished at 90, with freshman Beckham Faulkner posting a 91 and sophomore Grant Woodridge shooting 113.

“I was pleased with how our eighth-grader and our freshman did, being so young,” Smith said. “It’s a tough group to battle against, with our district. I was very pleased with the scores they posted. I couldn’t have expected any more from them. They’ve worked very hard.”

Zion Christian senior Dylan Samuels shot a 98.

Zion Christian senior Dylan Samuel (left, with coach A.J. Long) competed in his first district tournament Monday at Shelbyville’s River Bend Golf Club. Samuel shot a 98. (Courtesy photo)

“He played well considering this was his first golf season,” Eagles coach A.J. Long said. “The course was fairly difficult, what with the weather conditions. He was middle of the pack amongst individual scores.”

Connor Brown of the host team, Webb-Bell Buckle, claimed low individual medalist honors with a 73 – one shot ahead of Grace Christian’s Pierce Holsinger. The Feet took the team title with a 316, with Battle Ground Academy (324) and Franklin Road Academy (328) also advancing to Monday’s regional. Individual qualifiers include Holsinger, Middle Tennessee Christian’s James Carr (78), Christ Presbyterian’s Christopher Hanson (78) and Elijah Moore (80) and Grace Christian’s Joshua Breland (80).

For the girls, Providence Christian (155), BGA (156) and FRA (163) advanced in team competition. Tzunami Polito of Franklin Road Academy was the low medalist with a 75, one stroke better than BGA’s Jackie Henderson and PCA’s Isabella Johnson. Individual qualifiers include Webb’s Kennedy Clarkson (97), Middle Tennessee Christian’s Morgan Winfree (98), CPA’s Laura Finley Hasenbank (124), Montgomery and CPA’s Madison Spann (139).

Runk returns to state: Ravenwood’s boys and girls teams will represent Region 6 in next week’s Large Class State Championships after winning Monday at GreyStone in Dickson. Summit junior Claudette Runk tied for third overall with a 79 to clinch her second berth in the state field in three years, while Independence’s Piper Davis finished at 81 – two strokes short of advancing.

Summit’s Claudette Runk displays her third-place medal from Monday’s Region 6-Large Class golf tournament. Runk will advance to next week’s state tourney, making her second appearance, after shooting a 79 at GreyStone in Dickson. (Courtesy photo)

Ravenwood’s Shelly Jang shot 2-under 70 for low medalist honors, with Franklin’s Sophie DiPaolo carding a 76. Runk and Brentwood’s Brooke Brummett each finished at 79.

The Lady Spartans, with Runk, Maddie Combiths and Hannah Sundberg, finished third at 186 – behind Ravenwood (154) and Franklin (167).

The region championship team and the top three individuals not on the winning squad advance to state competition, which is set for Oct. 6-7 at WillowBrook in Manchester.

Summertown tee times set: Boys and girls play at the Small Class State Championships begins at 8 a.m. Tuesday morning at WillowBrook.

With Summertown playing for a third consecutive girls title, senior Kaley Campbell will tee off at 9:20 on hole No. 1, followed by freshman Karlie Campbell at 9:30 and junior Lanie Campbell at 9:40. Freshman Max Johns will go off at 8 a.m. on No. 10 for the boys, making their first state tourney appearance, followed by senior Drake Blackwood at 8:10, junior Eric Wilkinson at 8:20, junior Harrison Gobble 8:30 and eighth-grader Cole Campbell at 8:40.

At the net: In District 3-II-A volleyball tournament action Monday, both Columbia Academy and Zion Christian saw their seasons come to an end.

CA lost in straight sets (26-24, 25-19, 25-19) at Franklin Road Academy, while Zion Christian won a play-in match against Webb-Bell Buckle in four sets before falling to host Battle Ground Academy 25-9, 25-17, 25-5.

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