OPELIKA — Even though Alexandria’s girls posted the second-best round in Tuesday's Class 4A-5A state tournament play, the Valley Cubs finished fourth.
Trinity took home the title with plus-49. Mars Hill Bible was runner-up with plus-75, Northside beat Alexandria by four strokes with a plus-96 to place third. The Valley Cubs scored a plus-100.
“Watching the girls last year play and watching them graduate, we really had to step it up this year,” Alexandria’s Marlee Hedgepeth said after Tuesday's round. “I played bad yesterday, but today I played a lot better. That’s one of the lowest I’ve shot this year. I loved it, the girls that I played with were good, they kept me on my toes.”
Alexandria had two golfers post scores in the 90s on day one, but day two had all three Valley Cubs sub-90. Hedgepeth shot an 83, Avery Pickett shot an 86, and Nevaeh Foster shot an 88.
“It was crazy,” Foster said. “On the first day, I didn’t play too good. I went 3-over on the front today, so that’s better than yesterday. I feel like no one ever thought we were going to be here this year, so I’m just glad that we got here and showed them what we could do.”
Alexandria is returning all three players for next season as Pickett and Hedgepeth are juniors and Foster is a sophomore.
In Class 3A girls, Piedmont placed fourth at plus-234. Tuscaloosa Academy won with plus-18, Houston Academy placed second with a plus-118, and Lindsay Lane was third with plus-127.
“We were better today. It looks like 26 or 27 shots,” Piedmont coach Horace Bramblett said. “That was our goal when we went back to the hotel last night, just to score better today. It’s been an awesome experience, our girls are just so thrilled to be here, I’m still thrilled that we were here.”
Brookelyn Goss placed 15th with a 208 cumulative score, team captain Mayce Chandler placed 16th with a 218, Reece Kirkpatrick placed 19th with a 240, and Alley Smith placed 20th with a 265.
“Today was a really great experience for everybody,” Chandler said. “I shot a lot better today than I did yesterday. It was hot and we were all tired, but it was a lot of fun. Hopefully, we’ll be back next year.”
Hokes Bluff standout seventh-grader Makayla Bearden tied for ninth with a 186. She shot a 96 on day one and a 90 on day two.
“Well, yesterday was rough,” Bearden said. “It was just hot, and I’m not used to being in that heat. Today, I did so much better. It was still hot, but I was more used to the conditions. I was just out there for fun. Made it to state, that’s fine with me.”
Bearden being a seventh-grader means there are still plenty of opportunities ahead for her to take home the low medalist crown at some point in her career. She is looking forward to what is ahead.
“If I can do it this year, I feel like I can do it from now on.” Bearden said. “From now on I’m going to get better and stronger. That should help me look for first place instead of just enjoying being out here. Overall, it was really fun. I loved it, it’s a good experience to play with people better than me.”
