AUSTIN – Cade Storey had just made a putt on the 18th hole to clinch Richardson Pearce's first boys golf state championship in school history and was ready to relax.
That was until he learned he had to play a tiebreaker for third place at the Class 4A state tournament against teammate Hunter Brown and Birdville's Zach Collings.
Still, the tiebreaker was less intense than the previous 18 holes, during which Storey battled it out with defending champion Cody Gribble of Highland Park. Storey followed up his first-day 70 with a 73 at Jimmy Clay Golf Course.
"I felt a little bit of pressure at the beginning, but once I settled in, it got better," Storey said.
It was a lot to handle for the Pearce freshman, who lost the tiebreaker to Brown. Pearce coach Jeremy O'Quinn initially didn't want Storey to play with Gribble but decided against shuffling his lineup.
"Cade, for a freshman, is so mature and his nerves are so good," O'Quinn said. "I would love to have him out there with the TV cameras and a huge gallery, because he can step up. And he did."
Gribble, a Texas signee who defended his individual title by posting a score of 69 and a two-day total of 135, tried to kick up the intensity the last few holes.
"Honestly, I wanted to keep him down as much as possible," Gribble said. "I really didn't know where everything [the score] was at, but I figured I didn't have any strokes to lose. Hats off to Pearce. We've butted heads with them all year, and they were better prepared."
Pearce had a team score of 582, well ahead of the 595 for runner-up Highland Park, the defending state champion. Pearce posted a 291 each day, while Highland Park followed up its first-day 293 with a 302. Highland Park had won eight of the last nine state titles.
"We've had somebody step up every round. There weren't many people that knew about us," O'Quinn said. "Nobody expected anything until we won the tournament in Texarkana. But I'm not sure anybody believed it except our 19 guys, me and our parents."
For Gribble, it was a bittersweet day.
"It's going to feel better tomorrow," Gribble said. "The team comes first, and we weren't able to pull out the victory, and that's disappointing to all five of us."
The Highland Park girls couldn't repeat as champions either, taking third. The windy conditions played a role as Claire Straty shot 82 after shooting 70 on Day 1.
But the medal stand was still full of area golfers, as Fort Worth Arlington Height junior Chelsea Mocio won the girls individual title with a two-day score of 143. Mansfield Timberview's Victoria Vela took second with a 147, and Frisco Wakeland's Taylor Newlin was third with a 150.
UIL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
(at Austin)
TUESDAY'S RESULTS
(1A at Morris Williams course, 2A at Roy Kizer course, 4A at Jimmy Clay course)
CLASS 4A GIRLS
TEAM STANDINGS
Montgomery , 304-318–622
Magnolia , 328-321–649
Highland Park, 324-326–650
Austin Lake Travis, 329-332–661
Hereford, 338-331–669
Granbury, 335-347–682
Castroville Medina Valley, 354-363–717
Frisco Wakeland, 365-364–729
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Chelsea Mocio , FW Arl. Heights, 70-73–143
Victoria Vela, Man. Timberview, 72-75–147
Taylor Newlin, Frisco Wakeland, 70-80–150
Claire Straty, Highland Park, 70-82–152
Paloma Nunez, Granbury, 76-76–152
Sammi Stevens, Hereford, 77-75–152
Kendell Anderson, Magnolia, 75-77–152
Allison LaRoche, Montgomery, 74-78–152
Elena Warren, Del Valle, 76-77–153
Samantha Martinez, SA Southside, 75-78–153
Chelsea Bretcher, Aus. Lake Travis, 76-78–154
Karisma Smith, Montgomery, 76-78–154
Katelyn McDougal, Lamar Consol., 80-74–154
Abby Corson, Montgomery, 76-80–156
Mei Liu, Aus. Lake Travis, 77-81–158
Alisa Whitem Hereford, 77-81–158
Lindsey Anderson, Magnolia, 85-73–158
Other Highland Park scores: Kendall Anigian, 82-82–164; Callie Scheffler, 84-80–164; Erin Costello, 90-82–172; Steffi Scholer, 88-88–176
Other Frisco Wakeland scores: Sandrine Nestenius, 92-93–185; Alexis Thompson, 98-90–188; Hunter Barr, 105-101–206; Megan Pasteryk, 116-112–228
Other area scores: Rowena Fudallon, Frisco Centennial, 80-87–167; Ariel Tidwell, Rockwall, 90-92–182
CLASS 4A BOYS
TEAM STANDINGS
Richardson Pearce, 291-291–582
Highland Park, 293-302–595
Castroville Medina Valley, 299-301–600
Montgomery, 303-305–608
Boerne Champion, 303-307–610
Aledo, 304-309–613
Canyon Randall, 310-318–628
Huntsville, 314-315–629
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Cody Gribble, Highland Park, 66-69–135
Bobby Ledesma, Free. Brazosport, 68-73–141
Hunter Brown, Rich. Pearce, 75-68–143*
Cade Storey, Rich. Pearce, 70-73–143
Zach Collings, Birdville, 74-69–143
Curtis Reed, Medina Valley, 72-72–144
Andrew Carreon, SA Alamo Heights, 72-73–145
Trent Boudoin, Port Neches-Groves, 72-73–145
Stanton Tondre, Medina Valley, 72-73–145
Connor Ligon, Rich. Pearce, 71-75–146
Austin Struble, Aledo, 72-74–146
Charlie Ewing, Highland Park, 71-77–148
Conner Ribble, Texas High, 73-75–148
Kelsey Eargle, Montgomery, 74-74–148
Cody Bly, Boerne Champion, 75-73–148
Other Richardson Pearce scores: Charlie Gibson, 75-75–150; Brad Lyle, 75-81–156
Other Highland Park scores: Michael Crites, 77-78–155; Richard Kalteyer, 79-78–157; Chase Adams, 81-82–163
Other area scores: Brax McCarthy, Fort Worth Arlington Heights, 76-73–149; Elliott Thompson, Frisco, 73-80–153
*Won playoff for third place on first hole
CLASS 2A GIRLS
TEAM STANDINGS
Wall, 319-324–643
Callisburg, 321-344–665
Salado, 359-337–696
Kermit, 352-375–727
Melissa, 366-382–748
Comfort, 373-381–754
Jefferson, 374-383–757
Newton, 403-407–810
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Lauren Romines, Callisburg, 69-75–144
Kendra Whittley, Wall, 72-74–146
Macie Seeker, Melissa, 72-76–148
Taylor Klutts, Callisburg, 72-79–151
Shelby Hardy, San Saba, 73-78–151
Jessica Cornish, Univ. City Randolph, 76-75–151
Maury McCormick, Wall, 77-78–155
Rachel Van Hoozer, Salado, 80-76–156
Sydney Williams, Melissa, 79-78–157
Taylor O'Rear, Salado, 81-79–160
CLASS 2A BOYS
TEAM STANDINGS
Salado, 299-307–606
Sonora, 310-323–633
Olney, 319-316–635
Quitman, 317-330–647
Krum, 338-335–673
Franklin, 329-347–676
Altair Rice, 337-343–680
Daingerfield, 356-339–695
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Ryan O'Rear, Salado, 73-70–143
Kyle Dickerson, Anson, 71-73–144
Jade Scott, Daingerfield, 76-71–147
Hayden McClelland, Olney, 77-75–152
Klay Dodd, Krum, 78-74–152
Tyler Pines, Salado, 75-77–152
John Duke Hudson, Sonora, 75-78–153
Joe Ross, Big Sandy Harmony, 78-75–153
Word Hudson, Sonora, 76-78–154
Jake Gorman, Quitman, 76-78–154
CLASS A GIRLS
TEAM STANDINGS
Baird, 358-367–725
Memphis, 370-363–733
Garden City, 379-371–750
Iraan, 379-386–765
Simms Bowie, 400-404–804
Martin's Mill, 417-389–806
Port Aransas, 450-405–855
Ganado, 440-417–857
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Gabriella Dominguez, Chilton, 70-67–137
Sarah Fulfer, Huckabay, 72-73–145
Brittany Smith, Petrolia, 73-76–149
Macy Davis, Memphis, 78-78–156
Jennifer Perry, Iraan, 81-77–158
Alex Neal, Baird, 81-80–161
Whitney Johnson, Martin's Mill, 85-81–166
Mitzi McDowell, Baird, 81-86–167
Emily Williams, Martin's Mill, 88-81–169
Britni Cook, Garden City, 90-83–173
CLASS A BOYS
TEAM STANDINGS
Robert Lee, 313-314–627
Gruver, 333-328–661
Malakoff Cross Roads, 351-334–685
Flatonia, 342-345–687
Iraan, 338-368–706
La Rue La Poynor, 359-348–707
Riesel, 360-363–723
Stamford, 368-363–731
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Logan Philley, Robert Lee, 69-71–140
Marcus Cook, Garden City, 75-72–147
Mason Ross, Robert Lee, 75-77–152
Matt Porter, Seymour, 78-76–154
Kyle Crawford, Abbott, 76-79–155
Blake Fitzgerald, Gruver, 77-79–156
Todd Hooker, Iraan, 80-78–158
Craig Ramsey, Mal. Cross Roads, 83-77–160
Sam Childress, Brack. Brackett, 84-79–163
Nicky Rowland, Nazareth, 81-82–163
