Coakley leads Massac County to another regional championship


Darren Kinnard
Section618.com

WEST FRANKFORT — Massac County sophomore Elise Coakley used a strong back nine to force a playoff, then won the playoff to earn medalist honors and help the Lady Patriots win the Zeigler-Royalton Girls 1A Golf Regional.

It’s the Lady Patriots seventh straight regional championship, and 20th in the last 21 years.

Coakley trailed Anna-Jonesboro senior Marlee Smith by four shots after ten holes, but proceeded to put together three birdies and five pars the final eight holes to finish with a 75. Smith bogeyed 18 leading to the playoff.

ZRC’s Chelsea Young finished third with a 78, a shot ahead of Carbondale’s Annie Shin. Harrisburg’s Frankie Leigh Nicholes finished fifth with an 80.

Massac County finished with a team score of 329, which was 19 points better than ZRC. The Tornadoes will be making their third straight sectional appearance in Waterloo Monday. West Frankfort was the third team to advance.

Ten individuals not on the three advancing teams also will compete in Monday’s sectional. That list includes Smith, Shin, Nicholes, Madison McClusky (Harrisburg), Gracie Behnke (Harrisburg), Madi Hawk (Anna-Jonesboro), Calli Wolaver (Goreville), Clara Gahagan (Murphysboro), Cara Cullum (Johnston City), and Adrienne Poore (Eldorado).