Cascade repeats as region champ

The Cascade Champions have been the best golf team in the region all season and they backed it up once again on Tuesday, winning their second consecutive Region 6A/AA Tournament title by a wide 36-stroke margin over the second place Marshall County Tigers at the Lawrenceburg Golf & Country Club.

Forrest's Blake Tansil prolonged his fine senior season, shooting an 83 to earn the county's only state tournament berth when he defeated Giles County's Cole Wade in a one-hole playoff.

'Loved' it

"I loved every second of the region tournament, it was something else," said Tansil. "I am pretty hot right now, I am thinking for state to have a chance to get top five and up I need to shoot 69 the first day and 72 the next day with a little tougher pin placements. As long as I get out there and have fun with it and just enjoy it in my senior year, that's all I'm looking for."

Tansil is 3-0 in playoffs this year and said about the one-hole playoff with Wade, "I have been pretty successful in playoffs lately, I was 2-0 going into that one and I thought all I had to do was get a par and win. After I saw his first and second shots, I thought I would get away with it."

First in 4 years

Tansil's state tournament appearance will be the first for a Forrest golfer since Coy Shultz qualified in 2008, also in the individual portion of the event.

"I can't take much credit for Blake," said first year FHS head coach Kyle Stacey. "He has played golf for so many years,he not only comes to all of our practices, he practices on his own and that's what it takes. I am just happy for him his parents, his grandparents and it's great to see a kid excel like that, have a goal and excel to meet his goal."Stacey added, "I think Blake has a good chance, he is consistent and I think he plays smart and he really thinks about every shot. Blake's a student of the game, without a doubt. He has handled the pressure all year, so I think he will be fine."

Tansil will go off the 10th tee at 8am and will be paired with Matt Chandler (McNairy Central), Brad Walker (Covington) and Kegan Riley (McKenzie)

Wet course

The tournament, postponed because of a soaking rain across the mid-state on Monday, resumed under tough conditions Tuesday morning with temperatures in the 50's, with a misty rain and a soggy course.

The Lawrenceburg course is a tough tract under perfect conditions and the 5,800-yard layout played much longer on Tuesday, even under lift, clean and place provisions imposed by the region tournament director.

The Champions ended up with a cumulative score of 322 with Jake Pimental winning low medalist tournament honors with an impressive three over par 75.

Bryce Clinton was just three shots back of Pimental with a 78 to win third medalist honors, lefty Chad Gordon carded an 82, Tanner Burks signed for an 87 and Lucas Dunnivant shot an 88.

Tigers

Marshall County ended up at 358 with Brooks Leftwich and Wilson Limbaugh shooting identical 89s and Carson Hill and Miller Sale both signed their cards with a 90.

Tiger junior Austin Blade played a great round, shooting an 82, which would have given him a wildcard berth to the state tournament, but he inadvertently signed for the wrong score and Blade was disqualified.

"Oh man, if that happened to me I couldn't handle it, that would have been heartbreaking,"said Tansil. "Austin is a good golfer and I think being a junior he has a lot to look forward to and he will definitely be in the state tournament next year. That's something you have to do, you have to check that scorecard at least six times, that's just too important."

Girls

On the Girls' side, four-time District 11A/AA champion Jessica Zwiefel from Page ran away with top medalist honors via a sparkling round of 77.

It will be the fourth consecutive state tournament appearance for Zwiefel, who finished just outside of the top ten last year, shooting a 161 (85-81) over two days.

Eagleville's Brooklyn Snell played her best golf of the year and came home as third medalist with an 85 and qualified for the individual portion of the state tournament.

The Lewis County's girls led by Taylor Hinson's 80 won the region title with a 184 to best second place Eagleville (194).

CalliAnna McDonald (104) and Anna Brewer (121) rounded out the Lady Panthers' scoring.

Hinson was the second medalist and Anna Horn from Summit took home fourth medalist honors with an 88.

Spring Hill's Libby Coop grabbed the last wild card spot with a round of 92.

Other team scores included Hickman County (197), Summit (209), Spring Hill (225) and Fayetteville (228).

Forrest's Caitlin Burt (123) and Maria Harris (154) did not qualify for the state tournament, slated to begin next Tuesday at 8am at the WillowBrook Golf Club in Manchester.

Boys Scores

Giles County 359

Thomas Lochridge 82 (4th medalist, state qualifier)

Cole Wade 83

Chris Hatfield 88

Josh McLemore 106

Trey Rackley 109

Loretto 368

Joey Ferguson 89

Seth Staggs 90

Dylan Canerday 94

Matt Peery 95

Bailey Flatt 106

Summit 371

Grant Robison 88

Skyler Cochran 90

Sean Samuels 96

Ethan Gwinn 97

Casey Szatkowski 104

Perry County 388

Garrett Daniel 82 (state qualifier)

Cody Groom 96

Peyton Hinson 101

Quenton Hudson 109

Bailey Breeding 115

Individuals

Collinwood

Kelby Ray 91

Cornersville

Tate Lowery 94

Forrest

Blake Tansil 83 (state qualifier)

Gary Lukonen 86

Columbia Academy

Lake Lomax 85

East Hickman

Zac Thomas 78 (2nd medalist, state qualifier)

Hampshire

Will Mims 99

Community

Zack West 86

Eagleville

Dakota Beech 92

Lewis County

Zach Potts 85