DRASCO -- Tuesday was a day for three-peats at the Class 1A girls state tournament on Tannenbaum Golf Course.
Izard County senior Mikayla Kish grabbed medalist honors for the third consecutive year by firing an 83. Lead Hill won its third team title in a row with a 286.
1A Girls
at Tannenbaum
Lead Hill 286
West Side Greers Ferry 309
Trinity Christian 322
Shirley 354
Mount Vernon-Enola 363
Hilcrest 382
Bradford 404
Taylor 412
Midland 450
Individual scores
*Mikayla Kish, Izard County 83
*Madie McPherson, Lead Hill 86
*Kaylynn Finch, West Side Greers Ferry 98
*Haley Gentry, West Side Greers Ferry 100
*Kayla Huebner, Lead Hill 100
*Betsey Sindland, Lead Hill 100
*Abi Starr, Trinity Christian 103
*Emily Waters, Trinity Christian 104
Madelyn Dowell, Trinity Christian 105
Brooklyn Adcock, Mount Vernon-Enola 110
Kendra Harness, West Side Greers Ferry 111
Grace Goad, Bradford 114
Steffanie Howard, Shirley 115
Orianna McIntosh, Shirley 118
Trista Doty, Shirley 121
Kortnee Finch, West Side Greers Ferry 122
Charlie Nix, Lead Hill 122
Charlie Nix, Lead Hill 122
Alaina Ellis, Mount Vernon-Enola 122
Hanna Parker, Hilcrest 123
Hailey Haynes, Taylor 124
Bailey Perry, Rural Special 125
Molly Stanley, Abundant Life 126
Molly Emison, Hillcrest 127
Taylor Allen Caddo Hills 127
Maddie Decker, Concord 128
Jacie Jobe, Mount Vernon-Enola 131
Rachel Wilmoth, Mulberry 131
Abby Orrick, Hillcrest 132
Mayson Carr, Armorel 132
Cassidy Nunn, Taylor 132
Tessa Smith, Mammoth Spring 133
Savannah Newman, Shirley 134
Landi Williamson, Trinity Christian 136
Emily Moreno, Blevins 141
Emily Moix, Mount Vernon-Enola 142
Maci Breedlove, Deer 142
Brooklyn Passmore, Midland 144
Kaci Stevens, Bradford 144
Kendyl Stevens, Bradford 146
Katelyn Beckwith, Mountain Pine 147
Kati Goodnight, Rural Special 148
Adrian Roberts, Midland 148
Catherine Laroe, Western Yell 149
Cassidy Holder, Hillcrest 156
Grace McClelland, Taylor 156
Lakrista Knabe, Midland 158
Olivia Cambell, Abundant Life 158
Nallely Lopez, Caddo Hills 161
Hannah Story, Bradford 164
*-All State
Kish was three strokes better than Lead Hill senior Madie McPherson (86). Kaylynn Finch of West Side Greers Ferry was third with a 98. West Side Greers Ferry was second in the team standings with a 309.
McPherson posted the best score of her career. Kyla Huebner and Betsey Sindland also have been part of the last three state champions
"We've had one or two different players, but it has pretty much been the same bunch to win the last three titles," Lead Hill Coach Bill Markle said. "McPherson has been with us four years and has been a good leader to the younger players, so we hope the tradition continues.
"All these girls are hard workers. They put in the time over the summer, playing 18 holes out in the heat and listen to me gripe, but with this bunch I haven't had to do much of that."
The three girls golf state titles are the only championships in any sport in the history of the Lead Hill School District. Markle, who has been with the district 32 years, has coached the baseball team 25 of those years. His 1999 baseball team finished as the Class 1A runner-up, and he had two boys golf teams to take runner-up trophies.
Kish, who has been the only player for the Lady Cougars for the past four years, shot a 76 on the same course a week ago to win the district tournament. It was her best score of the year after playing several meets on the Tannenbaum course.
"I think the biggest difference since last week was ball contact in general," Kish said. "I didn't have many bad holes today. I think just a couple of sixes."
Kish won by 12 strokes last year and by four in 2016. She finished second by two strokes her freshman year in 2015, also at Tannenbaum. It was also the first year she'd ever played golf.
"Yeah, I had never played a round until I picked up a club during my first match of my freshman year," Kish said. "I try to play when I get the chance, but that doesn't happen a lot."
Kish finished the season undefeated, only having to go to sudden death once.
Sports on 09/26/2018