3A Women’s Golf State Championship Recap | Mathews coasts to individual crown while Fike holds off Union Pines for team honors
JACKSON SPRINGS, NC – Eastern Alamance’s Emily Mathews ran through the Gray Course at Foxfire Resort in 3-under, 69, on the final day of competition to card an even-par, 144, for the tournament and claim the 3A Individual State Championship in Women’s Golf. Mathews claimed her second straight individual title after winning the 3A title a year ago at Beacon Ridge.
Mathews carded five birdies against just a pair of bogeys in round two. She finished strong with three birdies in a four hole stretch from the par five 13th through the par five 16th on her way to a 2-under, 34, on the back nine. The strong back nine was a six-stroke improvement for Mathews from her 4-over, 40, in the opening round on her way to carding a 3-over, 75 for the day and a three-shot overnight lead.
Jacksonville’s Sanaa Carter was steady both days, shooting 6-over, 78, on both days of competition to hold off South Brunswick’s Jillian Fatkin by a single shot for second place honors.
The Golden Demons from Fike were the victorious team, holding off Union Pines by just three shots to win the Demons’ first State Championship in Women’s Golf. Fike was led by Bree Council who finished tied for 7th at 24-over, 168. Avery Briley contributed a 42-over, 186, to the Golden Demon effort, placing tied for 23rd overall. The pair was joined by teammate Morgan Harold who finished tied for 54th at 67-over, 211.
The NCHSAA is committed to celebrating outstanding sportsmanship and has partnered with NC Farm Bureau to award two outstanding athletes in each State Championship event with NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Awards. The 3A Sportsmanship Award winners in Women’s Golf for 2021 were Morgan Harold from Fike and Carolyn Coffey from Union Pines.
4A Women’s Golf State Championship Recap | Reagan sweeps as Ketchum sets a new State Tournament Record
PINEHURST, NC – The Reagan Raiders captured their third team title in the last four years, winning back-to-back 4A crowns as they blistered Pinehurst No. 5 with a two-round team 434, or 2-over par. Morgan Ketchum led the way for the Raiders, after battling to a 3-over 75 in the opening round, Ketchum came alive on the final day of the competition, firing a 7-under 65, a new State Tournament single round record. Ketchum’s 65 bested the 67 set by three players, including yesterday’s low-scorer, Ellie Hildreth from Hoggard, who slipped back to fifth place finish at 2-over, 146, after a 5-under opening round that tied the State Tournament record.
Reagan’s three scoring rounds came from Ketchum, Macy Pate, and Anna Howerton. Last year’s individual champion, Pate, carded an even-par, 144, for the tournament, finishing in a tie for second overall with Elizabeth Rudisill from Myers Park. Howerton played solidly, posting a 6-over, 150, placing tied for 11th in the individual event and helping the Raiders knock off Cardinal Gibbons, who placed second with a 17-over, 449, thanks to the steady hands of Ella Perna (+1), Ann Lattie Jackson (+5), and Kaitlyn Rand (+2).
Ketchum fired out of the starting gate, birding the first two holes before another pair of birdies on the par four 6th and 7th holes. She was 4-under through the front nine and opened the back nine with a pair of birdies on the 10th and 11th holes, both par fours. Her teammate, Pate, also rebounded from a 3-over, 75 in the opening round to card a 3-under, 69 on day two. Pate went out in 3-under, 33, thanks to birdies on the par five 2nd, par four 4th, and par four 6th holes. She added birdies on the 11th and 14th on the back nine, before posting bogeys for the 15th and 18th holes.
The individual championship for Ketchum was the fourth individual title in Women’s Golf for the school. She joined Pate, last year’s champion, Sasha Hayes, the 2018 winner, and Victoria Allred, the champion in 2011, as the school’s individual state champions in the sport.
The NCHSAA is committed to celebrating outstanding sportsmanship and has partnered with NC Farm Bureau to award two outstanding athletes in each State Championship event with NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Awards. The 4A Sportsmanship Award winners in Women’s Golf for 2021 were Hillary Gong from Reagan and Ann Lattie Jackson from Cardinal Gibbons.
2021 NCHSAA Women’s 4A State Championship
FINAL RESULTS
Pinehurst No. 5
5,467 Yards, Par 72, 70.9/124
INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD
Pos. Player R1 R2 Total To Par 1 Morgan Ketchum Reagan 75 65 140 -4 T2 Elizabeth Rudisill Myers Park 71 73 144 E T2 Macy Pate Reagan 75 69 144 E 4 Ella Perna Cardinal Gibbons 72 73 145 +1 5 Ellie Hildreth Hoggard 67 79 146 +2 6 Leah Edwards Northwest Guilford 72 75 147 +3 T7 Justine Pennycooke Green Hope 74 74 148 +4 T7 Maria Atwood Holly Springs 75 73 148 +4 T7 Nicole Nash Ardrey Kell 74 74 148 +4 10 Sophie Lauture Cox Mill 71 78 149 +5 T11 Anna Howerton Reagan 75 75 150 +6 T11 Kaitlyn Rand Cardinal Gibbons 76 74 150 +6 T13 Sadler Miller Corinth Holders 77 74 151 +7 T13 Terra Schmitt Wakefield 77 74 151 +7 T15 Shea Smith Ardrey Kell 76 76 152 +8 T15 Jayden Ford Pinecrest 76 76 152 +8 17 Boonyanant Rujiranan Pinecrest 73 80 153 +9 T18 Heather Appelson Heritage 78 76 154 +10 T18 Cailynn Winford Mooresville 77 77 154 +10 20 Mary-Paige King West Forsyth 77 79 156 +12 T21 Isabel Noot Marvin Ridge 80 77 157 +13 T21 Emerson B. Dever Jordan 78 79 157 +13 T21 Mary Elizabeth Harrison Cardinal Gibbons 77 80 157 +13 24 Kelsey Jones Holly Springs 78 80 158 +14 T25 Catherine DeSiena Northwest Guilford 78 81 159 +15 T25 Tyler Spriggs Green Hope 81 78 159 +15 T25 Katherine Brictson Cardinal Gibbons 79 80 159 +15
Courtesy of James Alverson, MCHSAA Director of Media