FRANKLIN – After taking both district titles last week, the Page High School boys and girls golf teams swept Region 5-AA championships as well to earn state tournament berths. The boys crushed a school record by 11 strokes with a 261 team score, while the girls – the two-time defending state champs – posted a 142 working 18 holes at Franklin Bridge Golf Club Tuesday
“They know how to win,” Page coach Mike Orr said. “Both boys and girls teams have a lot of tournament experience. They play extensively in the summertime in big junior tournaments. The support system they have from parents and teammates gives them the confidence they need to be able to show up when they need to.”
Orr said the boys were determined to make it back to the state stage after a runner-up showing in 2022 in just the program’s second team appearance.
“They just made every putt they looked at,” Orr said. “Their goal was to make it to state, so they locked in when they had to. This year, they weren’t going to miss out on the opportunity, and they made sure they took care of business.”
Page junior Reid Bostelman collected the individual title at the regional. Bostelman won against junior teammate Brayden Bennett in a one-hole playoff that was birdied by Bostelman for the victory after they both shot a round of 64.
“Yeah, I was playing one of my best friends, Brayden Bennett, and I wouldn’t want to be in a playoff with anybody else,” Bostelman said. ”I got up there and just hit it close to the hole. I stood over that three-foot putt, and it went in somehow.”
“I worked really hard over the past couple of years to get to this place and especially in the past couple months preparing for this moment,” Bostelman continued. “Shout out to coach Orr and all my teammates. We all worked really hard to get here.”
Four of five boys finished under par with district champion Jake Eickhoff, a senior, closing a stroke off the lead with a 5-under 65, while Carson Jenkins added a 2-under 68 and Hudson McDowell closed with a 73.
Bostelman believes his wedge shot was his secret weapon on the course.
“I feel like my wedges were really good today,” Bostelman said. “Lag putts were really good, but wedges were just close to the hole and put me close to the hole over and over again. Off the tee, I was just really consistent in the fairway.”
Sophomore Shashe Ekker clinched the individual title for a second weekend in a row after winning the district with a 74. She posted a 68 Tuesday to lead the Patriots to another region win.
“If you watch her play, she’s so nonchalant out there – it seems easy for her,” Orr said. “She just loves the game and has a passion for it. I think it just comes naturally to her.
“She’s got a bright future.”
Ekker explained how her game has grown this year after helping the Page girls clinch the state championship as a freshman.
“This season, I’ve gotten better focusing on things not as a big picture, but just trying to stay in the moment,” Ekker said. “I just think about the shot or the hole that I’m on when I’m there.
“I can’t control what just happened, and what’s going to happen, but I can control what I’m going to do right now. I think that helps me perform well.”
When Ekker has a great round, she believes it is all about focus and club selection.
“Most of my good rounds that I don’t really hit it all that well, but my mind that day feels really strong,” she said. “When I have a tough hole, I’m able to bounce back quickly. It’s mostly the putter whenever we’re having a good day because it’s able to either save some holes that don’t go great or highlight on really good shots.”
Other girls state qualifiers included Nolensville sophomore Audry King and senior Rika Arnett along with decorated Ravenwood senior Annabelle Walton.
The other individual qualifiers for boys included Brentwood junior George Laskaris, Centennial sophomore Henry Rackley and Jeb Blackburn who won a wild five-hole playoff against his twin brother Ben Blackburn after both finished tied with a round of 69.
Both Page teams qualified for the state tournament at Sevierville Golf Club Oct. 8-9.
“It just really shows off our hard work of the program that we have built up, started by (former coach) Jamie Eickhoff, and then carried on by coach Orr,” Bostelman said. “They’ve done everything that they can to put us in this position.”
Ekker said she hopes the girls can 3-peat at state.
“We’re hoping to bring home the trophy for the third time in a row,” Ekker said. “I think that would be great, and we definitely have all the skill to do it.”
Region 5-AA Golf Tournament at Franklin Bridge Golf Course
Local Team Scores
GIRLS
Page 142; Nolensville 149; Ravenwood 153.
BOYS
Page 261; Centennial 285; Brentwood 287.
Local Individual Scores
GIRLS
Shashe Ekker, PHS, 68; Elizabeth McCann , PHS, 74; Audrey King, NHS, 74; Rika Arnett, NHS, 75; Annabelle Walton, RHS, 75; Emma Schroder, BHS, 76; Ellena Gerfin, RHS, 78; Janeesa Franko, NHS, 84; Stella Edwards, PHS, 86; Georgia Medley, FHS, 87; Katelyn Verni, BHS, 88; Jillian Corley, IHS, 88; Ryan Fellows, CHS, 90; Sophia Taylor, RHS, 94;
BOYS
Reid Bostelman PHS, 64; Brayden Bennett, PHS, 64; Jake Eickhoff PHS 65; George Laskaris BHS, 66; Henry Rackley, CHS, 67; Carson Jenkins, PHS, 68; Jeb Blackburn, IHS, 69; Ben Blackburn, IHS, 69; Alex Schindley CHS, 70; Tripp Goodrich, BHS, 71; Hudson McDowell , PHS, 73; Luke Vingelen, BHS, 74; Cooper Van Dyke, NHS, 74; Hudson Odom, CHS, 74: Eli Lewis, CHS, 74; Rhett Sundstrom, NHS, 76; Ben Baas, BHS, 76; Canon Mabry, CHS, 77; Thomas Cherry, RHS, 79; Will Shelton, BHS, 82