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WCHS golf starts 2021 campaign
Golf - Sawyer Seymour.jpg
WCHS junior Sawyer Seymour, shown practicing at McMinnville Country Club, led the Pioneers in the first match of the season Monday against Cookeville and White County. Seymour shot 81.
Golf - Lauren Slatton.jpg
Lauren Slatton, shown practicing at McMinnville Country Club, shot 73 Monday at Tennessee Tech as the lone Lady Pioneer golfer.

The 2021 high school sports season has teed off in Warren County.

The WCHS golf teams were in action Monday in Cookeville at Tennessee Tech in their traditional three-way match to start the season against White County and Cookeville.

In boys action, Cookeville won the match with an eye-popping team score of 285. Warren County was second with 368 and White County was third with 376.

Sawyer Seymour was the top golfer for the Pioneers with 81. Rounding out the Pioneer team score was Jaxon King with 90, Chase Newby with 91, and Chase Boley with 106.

Cookeville’s worst score was an 80 and two Cavalier golfers shot under 70 with Luke Caldwell shooting 66 and Jakob Smith shooting 68.

WCHS golf coach J.W. Holt says he sees potential with the boys team, but he doesn’t think the Pioneers will be able to overtake mighty Cookeville for the district crown.

“If we keep working and improving, I think runner-up in the district is something we can achieve,” said Holt.

TSSAA realigned sports districts for the next two school years and Warren County golf is now competing in Region 4, District 7. Also in the golf district with Warren County are Cookeville, Cumberland County, DeKalb County, Livingston Academy, Stone Memorial and White County.

The Lady Pioneer golf team is composed of Lauren Slatton, who will be competing individually this season because there are no other female golfers. Slatton finished 12th in the state last year as a freshman and expectations are high for her sophomore season.

Monday in Cookeville, Slatton had a double bogey on hole No. 18 to finish with 73. That was one stroke behind Cookeville’s Lexus Julian who was the top female golfer with 72. Par for the course is 70.

“I had a bad day,” said Lauren, in an indication of how high her expectations are when she’s bummed about shooting 73.

WCHS golf has its second match of the season Thursday at Lakewood Country Club in Tullahoma. In addition to fighting a challenging course, the team will also have to battle the weather.

“I’ve already seen a heat advisory issued for Thursday,” said coach Holt. “It’s predicted to reach 98 degrees.”