Suffolk News-Herald

Last fall, a female golfer from Virginia Beach became the first woman to win the Virginia High School state golf championship. On Monday, Lauren Doughtie and Katie Murphy will have a chance to make similar history.

The Nansemond-Suffolk Academy (NSA) students (two of only four female competitors in TCIS golf competition) will attempt to become the first women to win the medallist honor (get the lowest score) at the TCIS championships at Portsmouth’s Bide-a-wee golf course.

Doughtie took five medallist honors during the regular season. &uot;I think I have just as good a shot as any number of people,&uot; said the sophomore as her team celebrated the end of the regular season Friday evening at the Suffolk Golf Course.

&uot;It’s anybody’s game,&uot; said Murphy, an eighth-grader. &uot;I’ve had to play better to qualify through the whole season, so I have a lot of confidence.&uot;

This seems to be common throughout the Saint linksters. &uot;We’ve got six solid players, and anyone could come out on top,&uot; said Andy Rivenbark, who led the team with six regular-season medallist honors. &uot;The course is very short, so it plays to our advantage; we’re used to playing ‘small ball.’&uot;

The Saints, who finished the regular season with a league-leading record of 14-3 (11-1) are coming off of recent victories over Walsingham, Cape Henry and Hampton Roads Academy. But last week, they suffered their only TCIS loss to Norfolk Academy (whom they defeated twice during the regular season.

&uot;We’ve had some close wins,&uot; said Matt Stublen, who along with Garrett Starkey and Adam Henderson is finishing up his NSA career. &uot;We’ll have to play really hard to win, but we definitely can.&uot;