Meet the top returning Knoxville-area boys and girls golfers ahead of the 2023 season
This week marks the start of the TSSAA golf season. Here are the top returning boys and girls golfers in the Knoxville area for the upcoming 2023 season.
Boys
Riley Parsons, Alcoa, Sr.: Parsons was the District 2-A MVP last year and tied for ninth in the Class A state tournament.
Noah Whitten, Alcoa, Jr.: Whitten tied for ninth at the Class A state tournament.
Jaden Morrell, Bearden, Sr.: Morrell, a UT Martin commit, was the District 4-AA champion last year and finished tied for 12th in the Class AA state tournament in 2021.
Landon Dyer, Berean Christian, Jr.: Dyer finished 21st in the Division II-A state tournament last season.
Blake Russell, Christian Academy of Knoxville, Jr.: Russell finished 11th at the Division II-A state tournament last season.
Cooper Russell, Christian Academy of Knoxville, Jr.: Russell placed second in the Division II-A state tournament last year.
Tanner Varney, Christian Academy of Knoxville, Fr.: Varney shot 71 as an eighth grader last year in the Division II East Region tournament and won the Sneds event at Oak Ridge last season.
Bryson White, Christian Academy of Knoxville, Jr.: White finished sixth in the Division II-A state tournament.
Brady Harville, Farragut, Sr.: Harville tied for second in the District 4-AA tournament in 2021
Owen Queener, Farragut, Sr.: Queener, a Middle Tennessee State commit, was a 2022 and 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier. He also was the District 4-AA individual champion in 2021.
Cooper Roberts, First Baptist Academy, Sr.: Roberts, a Trevecca University commit, finished tied for 13th in the Division II-A state tournament last year.
Gavin Sells, Greeneville, Sr.: Sells’ scoring average was 74.4 last year and has twice finished in the top five of the District 2-AA tournament. He finished first at the Sneds two-day tour at Willow Creek.
William Bacon, Kingston, Sr.: Bacon finished third in the Class A state tournament.
Drew Bolton, Knoxville Central, Sr.: Bolton, a Tennessee Tech commit, finished first at the Toqua Golf Club and first at the Sevierville Golf Club during the Sneds Tour.
Ethan Whitaker, Knoxville Halls, Sr.: Whitaker tied for 11th place in the Class AA state tournament.
Jack O'Quinn, Maryville, Jr.: O'Quinn’s nine-hole scoring average was 39.2 and tied for fifth place at the District 4 tournament.
Leo Huddleston, Maryville, So.: Huddleston’s nine-hole scoring average last year was 38.
Greyson Smith, Morristown-West, Jr.: Smith shot 3-under at the Country Club of Morristown to win Sneds Tour Event. He shot 1-under on the first day of the Sneds two-day at Willow Creek.
McKaleb Harkleroad, Northview Academy, Sr.: Harkleroad had a top-four finish in the Sevier County three-day tournament and a top-eight finish in the District 2-AA tournament.
Jack Bentz, Oak Ridge, Jr.: Bentz shot 3-under par and was the runner-up in the District 4-AA tournament. He shot 74 in the 2022 Region 2 tournament to qualify for the Class AA State Tournament and finished 19th in the Class AA state tournament with rounds of 78 and 73.
Hunter Hinton, Oak Ridge, So.: Hinton shot 78 and 79 in the 2022 opening season tournament. Qualified for and participated in the Drive, Chip and Putt Regional Qualifier at Quail Hollow Club in September 2022.
Will Rhoton, The King's Academy, Sr.: Rhoton will be the Eagles' No. 1 seed and is committed to Trevecca University.
Girls
Maya Hira, Bearden, Sr.: Hira was the District 4AA individual champion last year and in 202 tied for 28th in the AA state tournament.
Tessa Larmee, Bearden, Sr.: Larmee finished 28th at the Class AA state championship last year.
Isabella Coughlin, Christian Academy of Knoxville, So.: Coughlin finished tied for 11th at the Division II-A state tournament last year and finished top 20 this Summer at the Tennessee girls junior amateur.
Alexis Fishel, Christian Academy of Knoxville, Jr.: Fishel finished 19th at the Division II-A state tournament last year.
Grady Thomas, Christian Academy of Knoxville, Fr.: Thomas finished tied for 11th at the Division II-A state tournament last year as an eighth grader.
Brook Farmer, Gibbs, Jr.: Farmer won the 2022 and 2023 Sneds Tour East Regional Tournament and placed fifth at the Region 2-AA tournament.
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Jadyn Thompson, Gibbs, Jr.: Thompson finished fourth in the 2023 Sneds Tour East Regional Tournament and finished in the top 10 as an individual in the District 3-AA tournament.
Brylee Crouse, Kingston, Sr.: Crouse placed fourth in the Class A state tournament last year.
Kailey Lane, Kingston, Sr.: Lane placed third in the Class A state tournament last year.
Lauren Davis, Knoxville Halls, Jr.: Davis tied for ninth in the Class AA state tournament last year.
April Johnson, Maryville, Jr.: Johnson’s nine-hole scoring average was 42.2 last year, and was a Blount County Girls High School Golf Tournament Individual Medalist.
Rylee Tucker, Maryville, Jr.: Tucker’s nine-hole scoring average last year was 40.2 and was the District 4-AA large school tournament individual runner-up.
Ashlynn Rawlings, Northview Academy, Sr.: Rawlings was a top-four finisher in the Sevier County three-day tournament and a top-10 finish in the District 2-AA tournament.
Toyloy Brown III is a Knox News sports reporter. Email tbrown@usatoday.com. Twitter @TJ3rd_.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: TSSAA golf: Knoxville-area players to watch in 2023
