Blue map belongs to Jags

OPELIKA – There is no telling when the surreal nature of the moment will set in for the Spain Park High School girls golf team.

After winning the Class 7A state championship on Tuesday at the Robert Trent Jones Grand National Golf Course in Opelika – edging crosstown rival Hoover by six strokes (445-451) -- Spain Park players took turns holding the wooden trophy outlined with the borders of the state of Alabama. Looks of wonderment, amazement, and sheer giddiness adorned the faces of the ladies that carved up the golf course better than any other team.

“What is this thing?” senior Mary Kate Horton kept asking aloud incredulously, while doing the first thing teenagers think to do: broadcast the accomplishment on social media.

Horton certainly knew what that “thing” was, because she had dreamed of holding it for four years, and even took a chance for this season, her final one at Spain Park. Throughout the season, she told stories of forgoing the opportunity to purchase a class ring because she had bigger plans for her finger: a state championship ring.

Was it worth it? Totally.

“The fact that we’ve been short all four years and finally did it was really special, especially in mine and Jordan (Susce)’s senior year. Going out like this was awesome,” Horton said.

Dozens of poses were concocted for photo opportunities with the blue map, the new center of attention. Happy tears were shed. Coach Kelly Holland’s face showed a combination of pride, affection, and joy for the girls she watched reach their final destination.

“I’m really proud of them,” Holland said. “They’re so close, they’re such good friends, they work so hard together, and I told them they deserve this. I told them that if they played their best, their best would be good enough. It turned out to be a really good team effort. Everyone had to do their part.”

Spain Park shot 218 as a team on Monday, led by 70 from Susce and 72 from Caroline Waldrop, which paced Hoover by eight strokes (226). Spain Park didn’t have its best day on Tuesday, as it shot a 227 to Hoover’s 225, but it was still enough to take home the title.

Susce and Horton are heading to play college golf, at the University of Louisville and Samford University, respectively, and ending their high school careers on the high note was special.

“It was fun and I enjoyed it,” Susce said. “We had some rough patches, but it was all worth it and I’m so glad we got it done today.”

“We’ll miss them, most definitely,” said Holland. “Good leadership. This was probably the best team we’ve ever had top to bottom (Spain Park won its only other state championship in 2009). They’ve just kept improving and kept this group together. This is what we were trying to do.”

Caroline Waldrop, a WKU commit, will be back to go for the repeat, but realizes what this year’s team had was special.

“I’ve been on this team for five years and coming up short every year has really, really stunk,” she said. “Now we’re here and now all my seniors are leaving me and I’m really sad about it. But it means we actually got something done as a team, we all had each others’ backs.”

On Tuesday, Horton shot a 74, followed by 76 from Waldrop, 77 from Susce and 84 from freshman Marilyn Steed.

On the Hoover side of things, Julie Baker and Mychael O’Berry wrapped up stellar careers, which included back-to-back state championships in 2014 and 2015, followed by consecutive runner-up finishes each of the last two years.

“I am proud of Julie and Mychael’s accomplishments in their high school careers,” Hoover coach Lori Elgin said. “Two state championships and two runner-ups isn’t too shabby. They both are great young ladies who have very bright futures ahead of them.”

Baker, a Southern Miss signee, was the low medalist runner-up individually after posting scores of 73 and 72 over the two-day tournament.

“I’m proud of Julie being the low medalist runner-up in the state tournament,” Elgin said. “She played really well. Congratulations to Spain Park; they have been a very tough team to beat all year long.”

O’Berry tallied a 76 on Monday and 74 on Tuesday. Carson McKie shot a 77 Monday, followed by a 79. Seventh-grader Neysa Dechachutinan carded an 86 then an 80.

Over the last three weeks, the teams have traded blows. Spain Park edged out Hoover in the section tournament at Greystone Country Club, while Hoover took top honors at the sub-state tournament at Canebrake Club in Athens.

But the Jags won the most important one.