Forrest sophomore Gary Lukonen turned in a solid five-over par round of 77 Monday at the Region 5A/AA Golf Tournament at Champions Run Golf Course in Rockvale, earning a spot in next week's TSSAA Class A/AA State Tournament at Willow Brook Golf Club in Manchester.

"Gary has been playing really good the last couple of weeks," said Forrest coach Jeremy Jean. "I think we expected it and he did too and that is why he got it."

Lukonen's 77 was the third best score in the boys' event, while the eventual team champion David Lipscomb Academy brothers Dawson (69) and Davis (70) Armstrong came home in the number one and two spots.

Motivation

"I think this will make Gary even want it more to go see what it is like and get a taste of it, so he will want to go back the next two years," said Jean. "I think he will play good and put up a good number, but it will be tough to beat those academy kids. But, that is what he has to do to win it, so he just has to stay calm and hit his shots."

The Nashville private school ran away with the championship plaque, shooting a four-man combined score of 299, a full 49 strokes clear of second place White House (348).

Seth Sabin was third on David Lipscomb with 78, while Paul Swindell carded an 82 and Heath Bridges came to the clubhouse in 83 strokes for the Mustangs, who will all be included in the individual portion of the state tournament.

Cheatham County (359) finished third, Greenbrier and Martin Luther King Magnet School both turned in 366s, and East Robertson shot 381.

MLK's Oliver Gore shot 79 for an at large bid and Eagleville junior Dakota Beech had to sweat out a long wait to find out that his score of 80 would be good enough to earn the final spot.

Slow start

Lukenon did not start out well on the 6,472 layout, bogeying two out of the first three holes before a 20-foot birdie putt on the Par 5 4th hole righted the ship.

Lukonen would go on to par the next five holes on the front nine, including a huge chip-in par on the 8th hole after his drive found some trouble.

"My short game helped me out a lot today," said Lukonen.

On the back nine, Lukonen started with another bogey, but came back with pars on 11, 12, 13, and 14.

On the 15th hole, Lukonen missed a short putt for a par, but hit the fairway and the green in regulation on the Par 4 360-yard 16th before making an easy two-putt par.

Tense times

Lukonen hit the front portion of the Par 3 17th with an 8-iron shot before a few nerves set in via a three-putt bogey.

"I got a little nervous at the end," said Lukonen. "At state, I have to learn to look at my putts a little more, read the breaks, make sure my speed is correct, and just try to play some good golf."

On the Par 5 finishing hole, Lukonen reached the front fringe in three shots, before chipping about 10 feet by the hole and two putting for a bogey six, but his steady play was rewarded in the end with the third place finish.

"I feel really good and I am proud of myself today," said Lukonen. "I missed a lot of birdies chances, but plan on making it up at state."

Girls' play

On the girls' side of the tournament, Clarksville Academy took home first place with a two-woman score of 154 as Anna Michelle Moore fired a red-hot three-under par 69 to win top medalist honors, while Bailey Forte carded an 83 for the Lady Cougars.

The three at-large qualifiers were East Robertson's Delaney Lazenby (80), Sycamore's Dana Roberts (84), and Eagleville's Brooklyn Snell, who grabbed the last spot with an 85, marking back-to-back state tournament bids for the Lady Eagle senior.

Sycamore finished in second place in the team standings with a 172 and was followed by Eagleville (196), Lipscomb Academy (203), Hume Fogg (218), and White House (229).

Forrest sophomore Caitlin Burt carded a 111, while Eagleville's Kenya Hackney matched Burt's score and Taylor Turnage came home in 126 strokes for the host Lady Eagles.