Wildcats sweep

By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

MOBILE – A journey that began for most of the players in the seventh grade reached the pinnacle, although a rain-soaked one, Tuesday when the White Plains boys golf team won its first state championship.

The Wildcats were declared the Class 4A boys champions when the final round was called after nine holes due to rain and lightning in the area around the RTJ Trail Magnolia Grove course.

They shot 149 in the stipulated nine-hole round Tuesday for a two-day total 449 and won by 26 shots over Haleyville. Senior Kenny Okins, the Calhoun County medalist who went into the round tied for the individual lead, finished tied for second individually at even-par 106.

It was the first state title in any boys sport in White Plains history.

“This has been a long journey,” White Plains coach Chris Randall said. “These kids started years ago playing at Pine Hill when they were little fellas. Nobody deserves it more. We played our best in the biggest moments and we couldn’t be happier to bring a blue map back to White Plains High School and the Pine Hill golf course.”

Okins finished one shot off the pace in the race for medalist and got a little unlucky when play was suspended. He had just made birdie on 9 to turn in 37 and was in the middle of the fairway on the par-5 10th 210 yards out, while eventual medalist Luke Linley of Deshler was deep in the hazard off the tee.

“I thought I had a really good chance, but it stings a lot less when winning as a team,” Okins said. “It’s so much more fun to win it as a team than an individual.”

The Wildcats took a 20-shot lead into the final round.

“We knew if we went out and played halfway decent we would go home with a blue map,” Okins said.

They counted 37s from Okins, Wesley Jenkins and Peyton Bradley, and a 38 from Gage Miller. Sawyer Edwards shot 39. Okins, Jenkins, Edwards and Bradley all finished in the top 10.

The White Plains girls won the 4A-5A title after their round was canceled before the completion of the stipulated nine holes. They won their third state title and first since 2016 by the seven-shot margin they held over Northside at the end of Monday’s first round.

They had not lost a stroke to Northside during the holes that were played prior to the washout.

Baylie Webb, who posted the Lady Wildcats’ low round with a career-best 75 on Monday, had finished four holes when they called the players back to the clubhouse. Isabel Rogers had completed five holes and Abby Gattis completed three.

Both teams actually learned they had won through text since the players were sent to their cars during the delay because of the volume of players, coaches and spectators.

“They took us and there was an hour delay, then two hours, then Coach Randall said there was no reason to go back out and we were state champs,” Webb said. “When he said that the feeling of relief and happiness that washed over me was unreal.”

“The girls played the best round of the year when it matters the most,” Randall said. “Every girl improved every week all year long. No asterisk. We earned it with our best round of the year.”

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