Team effort propels CAK girls to state title
By Steve Williams
Christian Academy of Knoxville’s TSSAA girls golf championship in Division II-A was a team effort this season.
While the scores of Isabella Coughlin and Alexis Fishel earned the state title at the Sevierville Golf Club last Tuesday, teammates Grady Thomas and Ava Iverson helped get the Lady Warriors to the state with their play in the district and region tournaments.
The scores of Fishel, a senior, and Thomas, a sophomore, figured into the scoring and advancing at the district and region tournament levels. And Ava Iverson, a senior, filled in for Coughlin, who was hurt during the district and region.
“Then she (Ava) hurt her hip and she couldn’t play,” said Coach Donnie Cooper.
All four were on the awards stand next to the state championship plaque.
This year’s state title was the fourth in CAK school history, with the first two having been won in 2001, 2015 and 2016.
The Lady Warriors’ team total, which includes its top two individual scores, was 138 (2-under par) the first round and 149 the second round for a 287 total. Runner-up Boyd Buchanan shot 148-146-294.
Coughlin led CAK on the Highlands course with an even par 67-73-140 and placed third in the individual scoring. Fishel turned in a 71-76-147.
Providence Christian’s Isabella Johnson shot a 3-under 66-71-137 for the individual title.
“We got a little wind Tuesday. It was really cold,” said Coach Cooper. “We played really good Monday, controlling our golf ball. We didn’t three-putt a lot, our yardages were good and we didn’t hit it out of play. We just really controlled our golf ball pretty well I thought.”
Fishel said the key to winning the state championship was “just controlling our emotions and letting go of bad holes when they happened.”
The feeling of being state champions said Alexis, “was really exciting with it being my senior year, kind of the best way to go out. I knew we had a chance going into this that we could win it and it was just great to see it all come together and come true.”
Fishel is a verbal commit to LMU.
Coughlin said the key to her third place showing was “mainly just my attitude and going with the next shot and not losing focus. And putting saved me on the course.”
