Three in a row, maybe 4 in 2012?
Heather Nail, Arin Eddy, Mary Roberts, Kaylon King and Beth Ann Compton, from left, display the 2011 Girls 1A-5A state championship trophy they won last week in Mobile. | Clif Knight
Hartselle High School’s girls golf team captured its third consecutive Class 1A-5A state championship title by out-shooting five other finalists at the Robert Trent Jones Magnolia Grove Golf Course in Mobile May 9 and 10.
Team members Heather Nail, Kaylon King, Arin Eddy and Mary Roberts accomplished their remarkable feat by out-scoring runner-up Alexandria by 23 strokes, 479 to 502. Scottsboro came in third at 506.
Nail, a freshman, paced the Lady Tigers with a 36-hole score of 152. She shot an 80 on the first 18 holes and came back the next day with an even-par 72.
Not only did she lead her team but tied for the best overall individual score and received the state co-champion trophy for individual girls.
King shot a 162 and finished eighth. Eddy had a 165 and Roberts shot a 180.
“They were able to play through the difficult spots in their game and finish strong as a team,” said head coach Gary Orr. “Having one another’s back is something they have managed well all year. When one of the girls is having trouble with her game she has a teammate there ready to take up the slack. That an indication of their level of maturity and teamwork.”
“It’s a blessing for me to be able to coach these girls,” he added. “They’re willing to put in the work that’s necessary for them to be successful. That makes my job easy.”
King said the difference between this year and last year at state was more pressure.
“Everybody expects you to win again after you’ve won two state titles in a row,” she said.
What about the possibility of a fourth title in 2012?
“All we’ve got to do is to keep doing what we’re doing,” Roberts pointed out. “We just have to knuckle down and play our game.”
All five members of the team, including eighth grader Beth Ann Compton, will be back next year. King and Roberts will be seniors, Eddy a junior and Nail a sophomore.
