CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The 2025 TSSAA fall sports season tees off Monday with 20 area link squads gathering for the 11th annual Bradley Invitational/Don Burke Memorial, held this year at the Flagstone Golf Club.
"It's a great way to start to the season. You get to see where you stand against some of the top teams in the state," related Bradley Central head coach Chuck Clark.
"Teams are trying to find out who they are and what they need to work on.
"Several of the teams have been in the state tournament the last few years and will be strong again this time around," assessed Clark.
The Bradley County — Bradley, Cleveland and Walker Valley — will be joined by by boys and girls teams from Baylor, Boyd Buchanan, Chattanooga Christian, East Hamilton, Signal Mountain, Ooltewah, Rhea County and Soddy Daisy.
"Chattanooga Christian is stacked and Boyd Buchanan is always strong," the Bear mentor assessed.
"Signal Mountain has a new coach in Carson Johnson, who plays on the PGA Tour and played there when they were winning so many state championships (2018-20)."
In eight trips to the TSSAA State Championships, the Eagles have finished first or second a half dozen times and are the defending Class A state runner-up.
The Lady Eagles, who finished third last fall, have captured six TSSAA crowns as well.
Both Baylor squads have qualified for 33 TSSAA events, winning 20 state titles apiece. The Lady Raiders have finished in the Top 2 the last five years.
Defending Burke champions East Hamilton's boys finished third at last year's state, but will be replacing a pair of NCAA signees — Griffin Law (UTC) and Tucker Wick (Lee) — that led them to four straight TSSAA appearances, while the Ooltewah girls, under the direction of new coach Tony Williams, finished seventh at the state last fall and have top golfer Charli "Duck" Troxell back.
The 2024 state runner-up Boyd Buchanan girls still have Alli Troxell in the lineup, but local PGA pro Gibby Gilbert's granddaughter, Gibbiekay Cain has transferred to national powerhouse IMG Academy in Florida.