The Ooltewah girls are halfway home in securing their first state golf title after the opening round of the TSSAA Class AA Girls’ Golf Championship being staged at Sevierville Golf Club.

In making their third state tournament appearance, the Owls combined for a score of 1-over 141 to grab an 11-shot lead over Clarksville thanks to the Troxell sisters.

Sophomore Alli Troxell shot 3-under 67 to lead by three strokes among the individual competitors, and her older sister, Charli “Duck” Troxell, is tied for sixth as the senior posted a 4-over 74.

Alli, who transferred from Boyd Buchanan this year to join her big sis, made an early statement by recording an eagle on her opening hole. She followed that up with three front-side birdies to make the turn in 33, then coasted home over her final nine with eight pars and a bogey.

Duck also tallied a pair of birdies on her front nine to turn at 1-over 38 before encountering a trio of late bogeys.

Ooltewah’s previous state championship visits took place in 2024 and 1987.

Avery Chastain of Bradley Central is tied for 11^th at 7-over par, while Addison of Ryland of Soddy Daisy is tied for 15^th at 8-over. Keely Miller, the other member of Ooltewah’s starting trio, carded a score of 111.

The Baylor School girls sit one shot back of Harpeth Hall in Division II-AA after opening with a score of 4-over par in seeking to defend last year’s title, the 21^st in the program’s storied history.

Senior Katie Tuder is tied with Olivia Jiang of Harpeth Hall for the individual lead following her round of 1-over 71 that featured two birdies. Eighth-grader Charlee Spearman is in a three-way tie for fourth after carding a 3-over 73 with three birdies. Caroline Au is tied for 14^th at 11-over for Baylor.

Bella Paris of Chattanooga Christian shot 11-over (T14) and Anna Kopet of GPS posted 19-over (19th) while competing as individuals.

Baylor’s boys’ team is in third place after the opening day of the Division II-AA Boys’ Championship. The Red Raiders combined to shoot 2-over for their round, but find themselves 11 shots behind Memphis University School’s impressive showing of 9-under par.

Zack Bourgeois and Mason Bankston both recorded rounds of 2-under 70 with four birdies each, two shots off the lead. The Baylor duo is tied for fourth along with McCallie’s JRob Neal, who played a bogey-free round with a pair of birdies.

McCallie’s Pierce Grant is tied for ninth after opening with a score of 1-under 71 as the Blue Tornado is in fourth place at 6-over par in the team competition. Rounding out the scoring for the Big Blue were Crue Haisten at 4-over (T19), while Viktor Johansson and Vidur Rajagopalan carded rounds of 5-over (T23).

Jack Morgan shot 2-over (T16), Tate Sinfield Day posted 4-over (T19), and Adam Lauzon closed at 7-over (T27) to round out the Baylor scores.

In the Class AA Boys Championship, Walker Valley is in fifth place after opening with a score of 21-over. The Mustangs stand 24 shots behind leader Page’s 3-under total.

Defending 2025 state individual champion Cody Walter leads Walker Valley at 2-over (T18). Other Mustang scores were Drew Thompson at 3-over (T21), Harrison Yost and Hayden Nall at 8-over (T44), and Luke Finnell at 9-over (T52).

Dalton Franklin of Cleveland is at 5-over (T29) playing as an individual, while teammate Matthew Miolen carded a 7-over round (T39). Bradley Central’s Bentley Catlett finished at 8-over (T44).

Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com