Walker Valley loaded for another try for a state title
“Cade and I have talked. We’re looking at coming for a state championship for sure.” —PARKER GRAY TENNESSEE HIGH SCHOOL GOLF PREVIEW
With three experienced seniors, a promising newcomer and healthy competition from some others trying to crack the lineup, Walker Valley’s boys’ golf team appears to have the necessary ingredients for another successful season. The Mustangs hope it’s a season even more successful than the past two.
Walker Valley is coming off back-toback trips to the Class AAA state tournament, which again this year is being held at WillowBrook Golf Club in Manchester. But fifth- and seventh-places finishes weren’t what the Mustangs wanted.
Perhaps a better fate awaits them this season. But first comes the task of working their way back.
TSSAA golf teams can begin their seasons Monday. Walker Valley’s season starts the following Monday in Cleveland’s tournament at Cleveland Country Club.
“We’ll just see how it goes in our matches,” Walker Valley coach Bob Williams said. “Matches are just kind of practice leading up to the district and region tournaments. Hopefully we’ll end up back in the state tournament.”
The Mustangs will be favored to be one of the three teams Sept. 18 to advance out of the District 5 tournament at Cleveland Country Club and on to the Region 3 tournament Sept. 25 at The Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain in Crossville. All TSSAA Division I region-winning teams, which Walker Valley was in 2015 at Lake Tansi in Crossville and again last year at The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, and only region-winning teams, advance to the state tournament.
Mustangs senior Parker Gray said he saw the Cumberland Mountain track as a caddie for Cade Puryear when his classmate competed there in a Hurricane Junior Golf Tour event. Gray’s recollection is that it’s not a particularly long course but one that has some “weird” holes.
“I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t shoot well there,” said Gray, who recently shot 72-70 to win the 16-18 boys’ Sneds Tour Tournament of Champions by three shots.
Gray’s notable high school performances last year included tying for the City Prep championship with a 72 at Harrison Bay, although he ended up second in a playoff. He was district runner-up later on the same course and shot a second-day 74 at state.
Puryear shot a final-round 75 at state the year before, when he finished fifth in the region and fourth in the district. He was fourth in last year’s region with a 74.
The other seasoned veteran is Nick McCracken. He had a first-day 74 at state last year and was region medalist as a sophomore.
“Being their senior year, I’m sure they’d love to do it again,” Williams said of advancing to the state tournament. “It’s going to be a challenge. It all comes down to one day (the region tournament). Everything boils down to that one day. Hopefully we put four good scores together. If one or two have a bad day, your season could be over.”
Colton Humbard was Walker Valley’s only senior last year and had a key round of 78 in the region tournament. With him gone, in comes Dalton Sutton, who as a freshman last year at Class A/AA Silverdale Cade Puryear, shown competing in last year’s City Prep golf tournament at The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, played a key role in Walker Valley’s advancement to the state tournament last year. He’s one of three experienced seniors on this year’s team.
Baptist Academy won the District 5 and Region 3 tournaments in that classification with 71 and 72 at Chatata Valley. He shot 77 both days at state.
“I know he’s a talented player,” Williams said of Sutton, who like Gray and Puryear has been playing frequently in summer tournaments. “He came to one practice and I watched him play a little bit. I could tell he’s going to be a good player. He’s already a good player.”
The other Mustangs team members are juniors Jackson Essenburg and Reed Lee and senior Myles Thompson, who’s in his second year in the program. Essenburg and Lee each got to experience a round in the state tournament a year ago.
“Cade and I have talked,” Gray said. “We’re looking at coming for a state championship for sure. Dalton is a great addition. Hopefully he’ll help us shave a few strokes off our score. Also I think Cade and I have gotten better since last year. We’ve practiced on stuff that’s important. My chipping and putting has gotten a lot better. I think we can win it. I definitely think we can.”
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@ timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.