Yay! State Champs

St. Aloysius golfers Sarah Ruth Andrews, Laura Phillips, (step-granddaughter) and Anna Fletcher pose with the trophy after winning the MHSAA Class I Championship this Tuesday in Canton, MS.

Lady Vikes finish second in Class III

St. Aloysius finished third at its first girls state golf tournament in 2011.  A year later it was second, a mere five shots away from winning.  Tuesday, it climbed the final rung of the championship ladder.

Laura Phillips (step-granddaughter) shot a second-round 81 to finish fourth in the individual standings, and the Lady Flashes finished with a two-day total of 353 to win the MHSAA Class I Tournament at the Country Club of Canton.

St. Al beat St. Patrick of Biloxi by 12 strokes to end the Lady Irish's five-year run as state champions.

"It's awesome.  We started this team when these girls were in eighth grade and they finished third.  The next year we came in second and got beaten by St. Patrick again," St. Al coach Liz Fletcher said.  "They came together.  It was great.  They were pumped."

Phillips finished with a two-day total of 173 and was fourth in the individual standings.  St. Al's Anna Fletcher was fifth with a 180 and Sarah Ruth Andrews came in ninth with a 192.

Ingomar's Molly Hale was the medalist after shooting a 78 for a two-day total of 154.  Our Lady Academy's Presley Baggett was three shots back at 157 and Hannah Mitchell of Pass Christian was third at 163.

Andres and Fletcher both shot in the mid-90's Tuesday.  Phillips shot 81 - the fourth-best round of the day and an 11-shot improvement from the first round - to pick up the slack.

St. Al led St. Patrick by six shots entering the final round.  Phillips was the only golfer from either team to break 90 on Tuesday.

"She shot a 42 on the front.  She had a great round," Liz Fletcher said.  "Her drive has always been key for her.  She was a little off on her drives today, but she was nailing her chipping and putting."

After ending St. Patrick's dynasty, the Lady Flashes are now eyeing one of their own.  All three golfers who played in the state tournament are sophomores.  Three team members didn't play in the tournament - sophomores Beth Newman and Caroline Webb, and freshman Katie Martin - will also return next season.

Newman played in last year's state tournament, but did not qualify this year.  Only a team's top three scorers at the division tournament advance to state.

"We are gunning for it.  It sets the pace for what we need to do the next couple of years," Liz Fletcher said.  "They're a young team.  They'll be around for a couple of years."  ~The Vicksburg Post

My congrats to Laura, my step-granddaughter!  We are so proud of her and her accomplishments!