D-B girls, Science Hill boys going to state tournament again

MORRISTOWN — Even when they shot higher scores than usual, Dobyns-Bennett golfers Aliezah Robinson and McKenzie Hauk still led the pack.By far. In fact, the Lady Indians' duo were the only two in Monday's Region 1-AA championships to shoot in the 70s. With their team score of 152, D-B bested rival Science Hill by 30 strokes at The Country Club to earn its second straight trip to the TSSAA state championships."We obviously didn't have our best day, but it's good that we can still win even if we don't play our best," said Hauk, a senior at D-B. "We just really picked each other up. That's what's happened all season."Robinson turned in a 75, just ahead of Hauk's 77, while Lauren Maynard shot a non-counting 107.Hauk's score was actually a five-stroke improvement from her district total, aided by two par-5 birdies on the back nine."I think the greens were just playing very firm," Hauk said. "Last year (at state), Aliezah was a freshman so we were trying to get a feel for it as a team … I think we have a better mindset and we know we can compete with the people down there. I think more than anything we just have to keep our heads on straight, focus and not get distracted."Science Hill's Rachel Smith shot 86 and won a sudden-death playoff against Greeneville's Brylee Catron to earn a third-place medal, though both qualified for state as individuals.HILLTOPPERS GOING AGAINThe Fore Horsemen have carried Science Hill back to the state golf championships. Their No. 4 golfer removed all doubt.Will Wells' district tournament score of 84 didn't count toward the Hilltoppers' total that day. A week later, Wells was the only golfer to not shoot over par in the Region 1-AA tournament at The Country Club.His even-par 72 led Science Hill to its eighth region championship in nine years, even more remarkable considering he turned at 4-over before shooting 32 on the back nine."I'd say on the front I was a little more apprehensive in my swing, a little nervous, not trusting myself," Wells said. "Once I started trusting it, I just started balling out, making birdies, just made it happen."No kidding. Wells didn't shoot over par at all after the No. 8 hole. He birdied the par-3 No. 12 before ending his day with three birdies in the last four holes — the next two coming on par-5s.So it was only fitting that Wells birdied the par-4 18th hole, celebrating with a fist pump while his teammates cheered from the cart path."I'm looking forward to the heat of battle (at the state tournament)," Wells said.As a team, Science Hill shot 310, 17 strokes ahead of runner-up Tennessee High. Matt Hogan's 76, Will Sanders' 80 and Paul Haire's 82 rounded out the Hilltoppers' team total. Duane Oelrich shot a non-counting 88.Dobyns-Bennett's Blake Adams and Tennessee High's Carter Myers both qualified for state individually, shooting 77 and 78 respectively.UP NEXTThe TSSAA Class AA state championships at Sevierville Golf Club begin take place Oct. 9-10.Region 1-AA tournamentMondayAt The Country Club (Morristown)BOYS(Top 4 scores count toward team total)(Winning team advances to state)s — Individual state qualifiersSCIENCE HILL (310)Will Wells 72, Matt Hogan 76, Will Sanders 80, Paul Haire 82, Duane Oelrich 88TENNESSEE HIGH (327)s-Carter Myers 78, Declan McSheehy 80, Chandler Myers 83, Cooper Terry 86, Tripp Lively 92MORRISTOWN WEST (328)s-Luke Lindsey 79, Greyson Smith 81, Jace Collake 84, Riley Short 84, Todd Greene 88MORRISTOWN EAST (340)Parker Spoone 79, Trevyn Beam 80, Hunter Worth 87, Blake Johns 94, Clint Hemminger 95VOLUNTEER (344)Cameron Cox 83, Austin Williams 83, Tucker McLain 86, Jackson McLain 92, Andrew Collier 96CHEROKEE (350)Marshall Seals 81, Tanner McPeek 82, Gage Adkins 93, Aden Phipps 94, Carson Waters 105Individualss— Blake Adams, Dobyns-Bennett, 77Wyatt Cochran, West Ridge, 81Will Carrier, Sullivan East, 83Bryce Guinn, Greeneville, 83Hayden Shrewsbury, Daniel Boone, 83McKaleb Harkleroad, Northview Academy, 84Baylor Cresswell, Seymour, 91Kade Williams, Grainger, 91Hunter McCarter, Sevier County, 95Noah Eaves, David Crockett, 101———GIRLS(Top 2 scores count toward team total)(Winning team advances to state)s — Individual state qualifiersDOBYNS-BENNETT (154)Aliezah Robinson 75, McKenzie Hauk 77, Lauren Maynard 107SCIENCE HILL (182)s-Rachel Smith 86, Addison Mitchell 96, Cassidy Mullins 100TENNESSEE HIGH (184)Aniston Barnette 92, Isla Searcy 92, Grace Bowen 117JEFFERSON COUNTY (188)Emily Royston 89, Sarah Howard 99, Emma Simpson 119NORTHVIEW ACADEMY (193)Rylee Rowell 95, Ashlynn Rawlings 98, Addie Mayfield 103GREENEVILLE (204)s-Brylee Catron 86, Cora Broyles 118Individualss— Sydney Courtney, Morristown East, 88Kadence Ball, David Crockett, 96Jeslyn Suwardika, Cocke County, 98Ashlyn Guy, Elizabethton, 104Molly Green, Daniel Boone, 106Maylie Stout, Elizabethton, 108Addison Wyrick, Sevier County, 115Estella Gresham, Seymour, 122Hayden Hall, Seymour 130Zaylee Scheuerman, Daniel Boone, WD