Having eight scores in the 30s gave Bradley Central a sweep of archrival Cleveland High and Ooltewah in the new TSSAA golf season's first trimatch, Thursday at Flagstone Golf Club.
While earlier thunderstorms scared off Rhea County from participating, the damp conditions didn't slow down the action as the Bears edged the Blue Raiders 148-149 thanks to five sub-40 tallies, with Ooltewah a distant third at 182.
In the girls' battle, the Bearettes had three scores between 35-37 for an even-par 72, knocking off the 2024 TSSAA State Tournament participant Lady Owls by 14 strokes (86) and the Lady Raiders (92) by 20.
"I really liked our depth on girls and boys," remarked Bradley head coach Chuck Clark.
"It’s still early in the year. Really proud of our teams.
Sophomores Bentley Catlett (Bradley) and Dalton Franklin (Cleveland) tied for low-medalist honors Thursday, both firing 1-under 35 on the soggy Flagstone front nine.
"It’s been quite a week for Dalton," proclaimed Cleveland head coach Lamar Mills. "He’s really worked hard this summer, put some time into working on his putting and just restructure his swinging. That work is really paying off.
"It’s been a really awesome four-day stretch for him. I know that he was really tired tonight (Thursday) when he got done with his match, but I think this is just the tip of the iceberg of what he’s capable of doing this season."
After firing a Bradley County best 1-under 71 for third low-medalist honors in Monday's Bradley/Don Burke Invitational to tee of the new TSSAA season he went to The Honors Course in Ooltewah and claimed the Boys 16-18 championship in the Jim Seviers Junior Classic Tuesday and Wednesday before Thursday's half round.
Raider freshman Tucker Smith fired even-par 36 in Thursday's trimatch, while Bear senior Andrew Walker shot a 1-over 37, plus classmate Andrew Suttles and Jacob Rayfield rounded out the winning score with 2-over 38s.
"It was great to see freshman Tucker Smith shoot even par tonight," Cleveland coach Lamar Mills praised. "I’ve thought all along since the season started that he was going to be a big part of what happens for us the season and he showed why that was the reason tonight.
"It was a really close match and I looked for us to really battle Bradley and Walker Valley down the stretch this season."
Bear sophomore Braxton Reagan came in at 3-over 39 in support of the victory.
Junior Matt Miolen carded a 2-over 38 for Cleveland, while classmate Sam Coleman capped the team tally with a 40. Graeme Rodgers and Lee Windham posted 44 and 46 respectively, in support for the Raider squad.
For Ooltewah, Keagan Purcell led the way with a 43, while Preston McDaniel and Laker Pearson were just a shot back at 44, followed by a 45 from Laiker Henderson.
In a heated girls head-to-head battle between TSSAA State Tournament qualifiers, Bradley senior Colby Ann Turner nipped Ooltewah's Charli Troxell with a 1-under 35 to take low medalist honors by a single shot.
Making the victory even sweeter, the Burke runner-up Bearettes also got matching 1-over 37s from senior Addie Geren and freshman phenom Avery Chastain.
Chastain, who finished 12th at the TMSAA state tournament in the spring while leading Lake Forest to the event, had the lowest Bradley County score in Monday's Burke Invite, finishing tied for fourth in regulation with 5-over 77 in the 18-hole event.
Keely Miller rounded out the Ooltewah total with a 50.
The Cleveland girls were topped by junior Zoie Stinnett's 40, while senior Ava Robbins added a 52.
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