CABOT — Summar Roachell may have a commanding seven-stroke lead heading into today’s f inal round of the Class 7A girls state golf tournament, but the Conway sophomore has vowednot to stray from her game plan.
Roachell registered five birdies and f ive bogeys on her way to an even-par round of 72 at the Mountain Ranch Golf Course at Greystone Country Club. She is seven strokes in front of the Fayetteville threesome of Olivia Lavy, Micah Radlerand Shelby Daniels.
“I’m going to go out and play my game,” said Roachell, the defending Class 7A medalist. “I’ve got three really good players behind me. Anything can happen and I can’t just go out there and play easy. I have to keep trying to make birdies. I have to keep trying to not play relaxed. Playing like I’m [behind] will be the key.”
As much as Roachell seems uncatchable as the medalist, Fayetteville appears to be a cinch to win its sixth consecutive state team title. The Lady Bulldogs’ first-day score of 237 is 32 strokes better than second place Conway.
“Three 79s is a great day, but I can tell you that they’re not happy with it,” Fayetteville Coach Scott Williamssaid of his top three girls’ efforts. “I don’t understand that. I’d take a 79 any day of the week. But they feel like they can do better. Maybe we’ll come out tomorrow and go a little lower.”
This is the first year the girls state high school golf tournament has been expanded to a two-day event. Roachell said she’s happy for the change.
“During the summers, I’m used to playing two- or three-day tournaments,” Roachell said. “I like it because it evens everything out. This is a little bit more of a survival game. It’s who plays the most consistent.”
Roachell started with a hot streak, collecting birdies on three of her first six holes. She was still 3 underafter No. 11, but she had slipped back to 1 over heading into the final hole.
“On No. 12 [a 115-yard par 3], I had a tap-in and I didn’t even look at it,” Roachell said. “It lipped out. I won’t be doing that again.”
At No. 14, a 439-yard par 5, Roachell was aggressive, but hit a shot into the water which led to another bogey.
“That’s a pretty easy birdie hole,” Roachell said. “That’s one or two strokes right there.”
She finished the day at even par after hitting a 15-footer for birdie to finish her round.
“That was a really big putt for me,” Roachell said. “On the front nine, I had made a lot of really nice putts, but on the back nine my putter went cold on me for a little while. To make that last putt,which wasn’t an easy one to make, gives me a little bit of momentum.” CLASS 6A El Dorado wins
RUSSELLVILLE - Marion freshman Brooke Alford fired the low round on Monday and Tuesday to claim an easy victory in the Class 6A girls state tournament at Russellville Country Club.
Alford’s two-day score of 3-over-par 147 was six strokes better than runner-up Libby Croom (153), a junior from Russellville.
El Dorado, led by Emily Sinclair’s 159, won the team title with a 546. Marion was the runner-up with a 556.
Alford, Croom and Sinclair will all advance to the Overall tournament on Oct. 14 at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock.
CLASS 4A Talley medalist
BLYTHEVILLE - Madison Talley blew a chance to finish under par in the Class 4A girls state tournament with a double bogey on No. 16, but the Clarksville sophomore still managed a twostroke victory.
Talley posted pars on her final two holes and finished with an even-par 72 at Bayou Thunder Golf Course.
“I was 2 under par heading into No. 16 when I got that double bogey, but that’s OK,” Talley said. “I was expecting to shoot a 72 anyway.”
Talley outlasted Heber Springs senior Katie Webb (74) for medalist honors.
Heber Springs won its second consecutive state title with a 255. Valley View finished second at 258.
Sports, Pages 17 on 09/29/2010