news-record.com

Several area teams should threaten the top of the leaderboard when the NCHSAA girls golf state championships tee off today.

Ragsdale and Grimsley, the runners-up last year in the 1-A/2-A/3-A and 4-A championships, respectively, tied for the lowest team score in the 4-A Central Regional this year with a 266.

Grimsley senior Molly Plomaritis shot a 14th-place 164 in last year's 4-A championship, in which the Whirlies and Northwest Guilford finished four strokes behind Charlotte Ardrey Kell. Plomaritis, who took third place at regionals, is joined by Elin Hogberg, Georgia Gray and Lucy Shank.

Ragsdale is led by senior Laura Chang, who tied for third in the state last year with a 157 and two weeks ago took first at the Piedmont Triad 4-A championship meet. Lily Crane, who contributed as a freshman last season, and Savanna Mackie round out the Tigers squad.

Southwest Guilford junior Sarah Adams and High Point Central senior Breana Boyd also qualified for the 4-A championship as individuals.

Northern Guilford will compete in the 1-A/2-A/3-A championship in just its third season after a third-place finish from Elizabeth Ewing, Taylor Penzer and Tailar Murphy in the Central Regional. Madison Blythe of Eastern Guilford also qualified.

The 4-A championship will be played at the West Course at Foxfire Golf and Country Club in Foxfire Village. The 1-A, 2-A and 3-A golfers will compete at Longleaf Golf and Country Club in Southern Pines.

SOCCER SHOWDOWNS SET: Caldwell head soccer coach Mark Guthrie was happy with the result, of course, but he still sounded a bit ragged hours after his team needed its second overtime victory in three nights to win the TAC tournament crown last week. "I'm getting too old for that kind of stuff," he said.

Guthrie was able to breathe a tiny bit easier on Saturday, as his team advanced to the NCISAA 2-A quarterfinals with a 3-1 win over Northside Christian Academy.

The fourth-seeded Eagles (15-5-2) now host fifth-seeded Cary Christian Academy on Tuesday. No. 8 Westchester Country Day and No. 7 High Point Christian also advanced in the bracket. Greensboro Day, the second seed in the 3-A field, will host Covenant Day School on Tuesday following a first-round bye.

Guthrie might not have any choice but to keep holding his breath. Caldwell was equally as dramatic in making it all the way to the state championship game last season.

"Our kids have got a lot of heart," Guthrie said. "Sometimes that's what it comes down to."

Contact Tom Keller at 373-7034 or tom.keller@news-record.com