CABOT -- The Cabot boys golf team was gathered near the Rolling Hills Country Club clubhouse. Though there were still a few players on the course, it was clear the Panthers had secured the Class 6A boys state golf title Wednesday.
One of the many Rolling Hills members there congratulated Cabot Coach Mike Tucker, who responded in a manner common to high school golf coaches.
"I made sure we were not late to one match," Tucker said.
Cabot won the two-day, two-round event with a score of 10-under 566. Little Rock Catholic finished second at 589. Fayetteville, winners of five consecutive state championships in a run started in 2013, was third at 592.
Cabot won its ninth state championship and first since 2010.
Cabot senior Blaine Calhoon was the medalist with a 6-under 138 for the two rounds. He played the par-72 course in rounds of 64 and 74. Cabot senior Connor Gaunt was second with a 141, and junior Caleb Miller finished third with 142. Palmer McSpadden of Fayetteville was fourth with a 143, and Jake Daniel of Catholic and Lucas Teoh of Fort Smith Southside tied for fifth with scores of 145.
"I consider myself the manager, the golf manager, more than anything else," Tucker said. "These players' parents and their golf instructors, they've been doing this with them since they were little. I get them what color shirt they want to wear and the right golf ball and get them to the golf course, then they just set it on automatic and just go."
Fayetteville Coach Scott Williams said he could not have picked a better team to stop his team's run.
"This year, I think from top to bottom, Cabot probably had the better team," Williams said. "I tip my hat to them, and not only are they talented, but they have a good man coaching them. The most impressive thing to me, I know those kids are good, quality individuals. They're good kids, and they're going to be good, quality young adults."
Calhoon said his medalist performance came as a bonus to Cabot's team title, but he wasn't pleased by his second-round score.
"I'm excited that our team won, and I'm excited that I won, but I wish I had put a better round together today," he said. "I'm pleased with the way our team played, but we all struggled."
It was Gaunt's third consecutive second-place individual finish in the state's highest level of high school golf. He said he agreed with Calhoon that individual results were secondary to those of the team.
"This means a lot to us," Gaunt said. "We've all been out here since we were kids, so we sure are happy about it."
As the top-three finishers, Calhoon, Gaunt and Miller qualified for the Overall tournament scheduled to begin at Little Rock's Pleasant Valley Country Club on Oct. 11.
Gaunt has won the past two Overall championships. He will attempt to become the first boy to win the tournament three times.
"No one has done it, so I want to try to defend," Gaunt said. "To make it in with three of us from the same team, it should help us."
Sports on 10/04/2018