2020 All-5Star Preps Golf Teams
GIRLS
FIRST TEAM
Lexanne Halama (Farragut, senior): The Illinois signee and now two-time 5Star Preps Player of the Year finished eighth in the TSSAA Large Class State Tournament with rounds of 75 and 74. Halama claimed medalist honors in Farragut’s district tournament (68 at Egwani Farms) and region tournament (76 at WindRiver).
Madilyn Newman (Hardin Valley Academy, senior): After carding rounds of 76 at district (Egwani Farms) and 78 at region (WindRiver), Newman fired scores of 81 and 74 at the TSSAA Large Class State Tournament at WillowBrook to finish in a tie for 15th.
Kennedy Anne Noe (Catholic, senior): Noe claimed the 2020 5Star Preps Masters championship in late July and then constructed a solid senior season. After carding 81 at Harrison Bay in region play, Noe fought for a sixth-place finish at the Division II-AA State Tournament with 75 and 83.
Vivian Wang (Farragut, junior): Wang took third at the 5Star Preps Masters in late July. After a brief stumble (88) at the district tournament at Egwani, Wang responded with a 78 at the region tournament at WindRiver and rounds of 81 and 79 at the TSSAA Large Class State Tournament to tie for 20th.
Lindsay Ott (Farragut, senior): A consistent producer for her long prep career, Ott did her thing in the postseason. She shot 75 in the district tournament at Egwani, 84 in the region tournament at WindRiver and then posted 79-85 to tie for 26th in the TSSAA Large Class State Tournament at WillowBrook.
Campbell Penland (Northview Academy, senior): One of the area’s top multi-sport athletes, Penland is a Carson-Newman basketball signee. But she can golf her ball, as well. She was medalist (78) in the district-tournament round. After an 83 at region (Sevierville Golf Club), Penland finished sixth (80-77) at the TSSAA Small Class State Tournament.
Kerigan Klauber (McMinn Central, junior): Klauber continues to put herself on the golf map and did so with a strong 2020 season. She was medalist (79) in the district round at Chatata Valley, shot 76 at region and then wound up 10th (86-79) at the TSSAA Small Class State Tournament.
SECOND TEAM
Amelia Rechter (Catholic, senior): 88 at Region, 83-82 (11th) at Division II-AA State
Malerie Taylor (CAK, freshman): 84 (medalist) at District, 81 (medalist) at Region, 84-84 (12th) at Division II-A State (12th)
Allie Cooper (CAK, senior): 95 at District, 87 at Region, 84-89 (14th) at Division II-A State (14th)
Maya Hira (Bearden, freshman): 83 at District, 81 at Region, 86-82 (T28) at Large Class State
Madison Atchley (Maryville, senior): 90 at District, 83 at Region, 88-85 (33rd) at Large Class State
June Greene (Greenback, junior): 85 at District, 74 (medalist) at Region, 97-88 (21st) at Small Class State
Bailey McGaha (Halls, sophomore): Covid shutdown at Halls prevented the Lady Red Devils from playing in the postseason. But McGaha averaged 42.8 in nine-hole matches with a low of 35.
Honorable Mention (in no particular order): Reagan Corvette (Halls), Jodie Spangler (Catholic) Erica Beals (Halls), Elizabeth Moody (L&N Stem), Lexi Humbert (Greeneville), Jojo Atchley (Sevier County), Parker Miller (Maryville), Sydney Branson (Bearden), Hannah Smelcer (Heritage), Sable Burnside (Morristown East).
BOYS
FIRST TEAM
Lance Simpson (Farragut, senior): The Tennessee signee and 2020 5Star Preps Co-Player of the Year set WillowBrook ablaze during the Large Class State Tournament, firing a two-day total of 13-under par 131. He needed a final-round, 8-under 64 to win by two shots. Simpson shot 72 at the region tournament at WindRiver and 71 at the District Tournament at Egwani.
Kaleb Wilson (CAK, junior): The 2020 Division II-A State Champion and now two-time 5Star Preps Player of the Year shot 2-under 142 at WillowBrook to lead CAK to a fourth consecutive state title. He was also medalist in the Division II-A Region Tournament with a 67 at Harrison Bay after shooting 72 in district-tournament play.
Reece Britt (Webb, senior): An Austin Peay signee, Britt claimed third place (71-75) in the Division II-A State Tournament at WillowBrook. Britt tied for second in region play at Harrison Bay with a 71 after he carded a 73 at the district tournament level.
Cooper Hayes (Berean Christian, senior): A Lipscomb signee, Hayes punctuated his prep career with a tie for ninth place (74-78) at Division II-A state. Hayes was a region co-runner-up with a 71 at Harrison Bay and medalist in district play with a 70 at Three Ridges.
Harrison Thompson (Catholic, sophomore): Thompson challenged for the Division II-AA individual title yet took solo third with rounds of 74 and 72 in tough scoring conditions at WillowBrook. Thompson finished third in the 5Star Preps Masters and qualified for state with an 83 at Harrison Bay.
Carson Kammann (West, junior): Kamman had a monster spring and summer on the non-TSSAA circuits and then carried that into the high school season. He won medalist at the district tournament with a 64 at Egwani Farms, shot 71 in region at WindRiver and then used a final-round, 6-under 66 to finish fourth in the TSSAA Large Class State Tournament.
Aidan Collier (North Greene, sophomore): Collier followed up his state runner-up finish from 2019 with a fourth-place finish this fall, shooting rounds of 75 and 73 at the TSSAA Small Class State Tournament. Collier also came through in the clutch with rounds of 71 at district and 73 at region.
SECOND TEAM
Blake Woody (Kingston, sophomore): 73 (medalist), 77 at Region, 72-77 (fifth) at Small Class State
Jackson Hughey (CAK, junior): 71 at District, 80 at Region, 71-77 (T4th) at Division II-A State
John Meadows (CAK, senior): 73 at District, 75 at Region, 76-79 (T11) at Division II-A State
Nic Etherton (William Blount, junior): Chattanooga commit, 71 at District, 74 at Region
Eli Mayes (Webb, senior): 76 at District, 73 at Region, 77-84 (17th) at Division II-A State
A.J. Rinehart (Farragut, senior): 73 at District, 79 at Region, 77-75 (T22) at Large Class State
Owen Queener (Farragut, freshman): 79 at District, 72 at Region, 84-72 (T32) at Large Class State
Honorable Mention (in no particular order): Ethan Vincent (Halls), Ashton Condra (Halls), Joshua Loveday (McMinn Central), Connor Price (Farragut), Jaden Morrell (Bearden), David Bates (Campbell County), Ethan Whitaker (First Baptist Academy), Ben Johnston (CAK), Will Bacon (Kingston), Nic Ravenborg (Jefferson County), Doug Fezell (Greeneville), Ethan Daniels (Jefferson County), Sawyer Spoone (Morristown East), Tyler Guilliams (Sevier County), Colton Waggle (Harriman), Dalen Gibby (Sweetwater), Colby Johnson (Kingston), Bryce Barber (Alcoa), Jack Leach (Campbell County), Sam King (Webb), Tate Woodruff (Webb), Jeremy Ellis (Lenoir City), Cooper Roberts (First Baptist Academy), Brady Harville (Farragut).
5SP GOLF COACH OF THE YEAR
Jon Higgins, Farragut
Higgins helped the Admirals boys’ team win the 2020 Class AAA state championship, the program’s first since 2014. Farragut entered the final round of the Division I Large Class State Tournament with a one-shot lead over Ravenwood and two-shot lead over Greenbrier. Farragut carded a final-round mark of 5-under, 283 to pull away and win by 12, thanks to senior Lance Simpson’s final-round, 8-under 64. The Farragut girls’ team finished third, 12 shots back of the winning pace.