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In contention
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Jacob Dodd photo--Senior Valeria Vargas finished the opening day of the TSSAA state golf tournament in a tie for 10th place.

Facing the best golfers in the state, Valeria Vargas more than proved she belonged Tuesday afternoon at Willowbrook Golf Course. The Lady Pioneer senior remains in contention for a state title as her 4-over, 76 put her in a three-way tie for 10th place after the first day of the TSSAA state golf tournament.
Maintaining a top-10 spot was Vargas’ goal going into the match, though she knows she has work to do in Wednesday’s final round.
“I played very well. I kept the ball in the fairways and hit the greens in regulation,” said Vargas. “The hope is to improve from my opening score in the final round.”
Franklin County's Malia Stovall, who finished fourth in 2016, paced the field by shooting a 6-under, 66. Jayna Choi, from Houston High School, was the only other golfer to finish in the red, turning in a 1-under, 71. Bail Park (Houston), Karson Adkins (McNairy Central) and Catherine Caudill (Rossview) finished in a three-way tie for third at even.
Competing on a course she has played many times, Vargas came out of the gate strong. Teeing off on the back nine, Vargas mitigated a first-hole bogey on No. 10 with a birdie on the par-5, No. 12.
Back-to-back bogeys on No. 13 and 14 slowed the Lady Pioneers’ progress, but Vargas got back on track by easily navigating the dog-leg left No. 15 for a par. The senior showed off her ability to play long or short on the next two holes, carding pars on the par-5, No. 16 and the par-3, No. 17.
When Vargas made the turn following a bogey on No. 18, she held sole position of 10th – a position her coach J.W. Holt felt was a goal for the day.
“Valeria wants to finish in the top 10 and knew it was going to take two days of scores in the 74-76 range,” said Holt. “She’s playing with a lot of confidence and she prepared herself well.”
Her confidence was evident when she made the turn and took aim at the front nine.
Staring down a wide-open fairway on No. 1, Vargas blasted her tee shot. A great approach shot left the senior with a manageable birdie putt, one she dropped in the cup for her second birdie.
Vargas didn’t run into her first issue until No. 6. Her tee shot wasn’t able to clear the water, leaving her having to take a drop after finding the water hazard. Despite her best efforts after the errant tee shot, Vargas dropped two strokes on the hole.
Determined to get back in the mix, Vargas finished strong with two birdies on her final three holes. Vargas continued her mastery of par-5s – she was 1-under on the four long holes – by using a big drive to get book a birdie on No. 7.
Vargas narrowly missed an eagle on her final hole. Vargas hit her approach just inches from the pin, eliciting a big cheer from the clubhouse crowd. The tap-in for birdie ended Vargas’ day with a pair of 38s, leaving her 10 strokes behind Stovall.
The last hole, especially the wedge shot on the approach, was a nice synopsis of how Vargas played.
“I felt like my iron shots were working for me, especially my 56-degree wedge,” said Vargas. “I was 65 yards out on the last hole and dropped it within a foot of the pin.”
She sandwiched the two late birdies around a bogey on the par-3, No. 8.
Vargas will try to close ground on the leaders Wednesday when she takes part in the final round of the state tournament. Vargas will begin play at 8:40 a.m.

WCHS baseball, softball compete in weekend tournaments
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One day after a close home win over Cumberland County Thursday night, the Warren County baseball team was back on the road for a weekend tournament slate. Taking part in the Viking Classic, the Pioneers went 2-2 across Friday and Saturday’s contests.

Kicking things off against Huntland at Tullahoma High School Friday evening, Warren County notched its third straight victory with a 4-3 decision over the Hornets.

Sam Robinson had three of the team’s eight hits. Ryder Gilispie followed with two. Tyler Adams, Jerren Harris and Keaton Rowe each added one hit.

Gilispie and Harris were both credited with one RBI each.

Adams, Robinson, Gilispie and Adrian Harris each scored one run.

On the mound, Miguel Garcia pitched four innings, finishing with four strikeouts, two hits, three runs and four walks. Keagan Thompson followed for two innings, striking out two.

In the nightcap, the Pioneers were held scoreless in an 8-0 shutout against the host Wildcats. Robinson had Warren County’s lone hit of the game.

Hayven Jones pitched 1.1 innings, recording one strikeout, four hits, seven runs and two walks. Jerren Harris came on for 2.2 innings, finishing with two hits, one run and four walks.

Back in action for day two of the tournament at Cascade High School, the Pioneers bounced back with a 9-8 win over the host Champions Saturday morning.

The team finished with nine hits, led by Adams and Robinson with two each. Gilispie, Jerren Harris, Adrian Harris, Woogs Bryan and Corban Felton all added one.

Bryan led the team in RBI with four of its eight. Gilispie, Felton, Jerren Harris and Brady Norris each brought in one.

Jaytton Baker went 3.1 innings on the bump, striking out five and coming off with eight hits and five runs. Lealon Arnold followed for 1.2 innings, striking out one and adding two hits and three runs. Gilispie pitched for one inning and recorded two strikeouts and one hit.

Closing out the weekend against Alabama’s Heritage Christian, Warren County came out on the losing end of a 14-6 contest. At the plate, Jerren Harris led the way with two of the team’s eight hits. Adams, Gilispie, Bryan, Felton, Adrian Harris and Evan Snapp all followed with one each.

The Pioneers posted four RBI, with two each for Adams and Snapp.

Snapp had two of the team’s six runs, with one each for Adams, Gilispie, Felton and Jones.

Braden Whinnery pitched 2.2 innings, striking out four and surrendering seven hits, five runs and one walk. Rowe followed for 0.2 innings, adding four hits and five runs. Up next was Keagan Thompson, who went one inning and came off with five hits and four runs. Daylen Holguin wrapped up the day, striking out one and allowing one hit over 0.2 innings.

WCHS softball goes 1-3 through weekend

The Lady Pioneers got their Southern Warrior Classic schedule started with a game against Summertown Friday evening, a matchup in which they fell 10-1.

Warren County finished with six hits, with two each for Ky Damon, Lola Wells and Kaydence Wiser.

Wiser had a home run in the top of the fourth inning for the team’s lone run.

In the circle, Ceilee Gudat pitched 3.1 innings and finished with one strikeout, nine hits, 10 runs and two walks. Kyaira Sharpe followed for the game’s remainder, closing out the last 0.2 innings.

The Lady Pioneers were again bested in their second Friday night game, falling 10-2 to Moline (Ill.).

Wells led the Warren County hitting effort with two of the team’s six. Damon, Callie Roberts, Cortlyn Porter and Ali Young each added one.

Wells and Lily Rains had one run each.

Ruby Denning had one strikeout and gave up eight hits, 10 runs and three walks across all four innings.

The Lady Pioneers had better luck in their Saturday morning opener, flying ahead with an 11-run fifth inning to take down Illinois’s Oswego East 15-9.

Warren County racked up 12 hits over the course of the game, with two each for Rains, Wells, Sharpe, Porter and Addison Smith. This included home runs for both Wells and Smith. Damon and Young both added one hit each.

Smith led the Lady Pioneers in RBI with four of their 15, followed by Sharpe with three. Rains and Wells both had two RBI. Damon, Wiser, Porter and Young all tacked on one.

Sharpe pitched the first four innings and came out with 13 hits, nine runs and two walks. Denning added one hit across one inning.

Warren County was unable to duplicate this in their final game of the weekend later that afternoon, falling 3-2 to Stewarts Creek.

The team notched six hits, with two each for Rains and Porter. Damon and Wiser both added one hit.

Rains had the Lady Pioneers’ lone RBI.

On the rubber, Gudat pitched all five innings, striking out three and finishing the day with five hits, three runs and one walk.