Written by: Charles Pulliam - Multimedia Reporter

FRANKLIN – Michale Hake had a nightmare of a hole to open the District 12-AAA Golf Tournament at the Franklin Bridge Golf Course. 

He had to shake off a shanked shot into the water. 

"It was a rough start," said Hake, a Ravenwood High School junior. "I guess I kind of caught fire mid round and just went with it fortunately." 

Hake contributed the low card for the day in the postseason tournament, firing a 7-under 64 at the par-71 Franklin course. He led the way for a Raptors team that edged Page by two strokes to take third and advance to the Region 6-AAA tournament next week at Two Rivers Golf Course in Nashville. The Franklin boys carded a 285 to edge Brentwood by a stroke for the team title. The Raptors closed three strokes back at 289. 

"Even after I shanked one into the water, I thought it couldn't get any worse," Hake said. "I just thought, there's 17 more holes to go so there's time to make this up. I started hitting it closer and making a few puts, so it really felt good all around, except that first hole." 

Franklin junior Sophia DiPaolo also stepped away as a district champion and had her final hole cap another solid outing to lead the Lady Admirals.  

The two-time district champion who finished tied for sixth at state last year closed her day on the par-4 ninth hole with an 80-yard wedge shot that rolled in to close with an eagle and a 3-under 68. 

"I thought, 'oh wow,'" DiPaolo said with a smile on her last shot. "I was in the trees there, but was able to get a hold of that last ball. 

"I felt like I was hitting a lot of my drives well, so the distance wasn't a problem, but I just would get kind of close and missed the put … that's a good finish, though." 

Like the Ravenwood boys, the Franklin girls team also qualified for the regional by taking third. The district's top three teams in both girls and boys play all advanced. 

DiPaolo's teammate Abby Zupa closed with a 97 as Franklin edged Nolensville by two strokes to advance. The boys final region berth was also decided by two strokes as Ravenwood's top five closed with a 289, while Page carded a 291. 

"There were a lot of low scores, and I felt like we were definitely fortunate," Franklin coach Jon Whipple said. "One stroke could be the difference and it very well could be the same way next week as well." 

Franklin won the 2019 Large Class state championship, while the Raptors closed runner-up last season. The Admirals lost a playoff to Dickson County last season to narrowly miss a regional berth. 

"Page is another really good team there, so we knew coming in that we had to play very well to be able to advance," Ravenwood coach Teddy Craig said. "Any given day in this district, someone could get you, and fortunately we did enough to extend our season." 

Craig said Hake provided the boost the team needed. 

"He's been swinging the club really well and then you know as he got toward that back nine, he just got hot," he said. "It was birdie, after birdie, after birdie, and he's obviously capable of that. 

"This is such a competitive district, that's what we needed in order to advance." 

Four boys finished with a 3-under 68 on the day: Franklin's Will Pinson and Harrison Akers; Brentwood's Troup Wallace; and Page's Grant Clark. A scorecard playoff decided the final standings with Pinson taking runner-up honors behind Hake, followed by Wallace – last year's individual champion – Akers and Clark. 

"When you have two guys with scores like 68s, that puts us in a real good spot as a team," Whipple said of Pinson and Akers, while also crediting Eli Cleveland for closing with three consecutive birdies to finish tied for 11th overall at 1-over 72. "He got hot at the right time and that was key for us, and Cooper (Wilcox) hung right in there as well. The guys just did a great job to pull through." 

Other individual region qualifiers on the boys side included Whit Conrad of Independence (69) and Luke Beadles of Nolensville (70), along with Page's Tyler Wilson (72) and Chubbs Wilds (73). 

The Lady Raptors captured the team title for a second season in a row after a consistent showing across the board, paced by Hannah Walton's 71. Teammate Emily Nelson was third with a 74 and Holly Hake (78) was tied for fifth overall. 

"They've been so consistent," Craig said of his girls team. "One of the things we talked about is just keeping the ball in play and staying away from the double and triple bogeys and I don't believe we had one today. 

"They were outstanding today and I'm so proud of them." 

Page edged Franklin by two strokes to take second behind Gabby Diaz's 80 and Scarlett Childs' 83. 

Other qualifiers individually included Isabella McCutchen of Centennial (77), Piper Davis of Independence (78), Brooke Brummet of Brentwood (80), Claudette Runk of Summit (80) and Chloe Denham (83) of Nolensville. 

The region tournament begins Tuesday with the region champions and top three individual finishers advancing to the state tournament Oct. 4-5 at the Sevierville Golf Club. 

District 12-AAA Golf Tournament 

Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021 at Franklin Bridge Golf Course 

BOYS 

Team Scores 

1, Franklin 285; 2, Brentwood 286; 3, Ravenwood 289; 4, Page 291; 5, Nolensville 308; 6, Independence 320; 7, Independence 325; 8, Centennial 327; 9, Spring Hill 427; 10, Columbia Central 428. 

Individual Results (Top 15) 

1, Michael Hake, Ravenwood, 64; 2, Will Pinson, Franklin, 68; 3, Troup Wallace, Brentwood, 68; 4, Harrison Akers, Franklin, 68; 5, Grant Clark, Page, 68; 6, Whit Conrad, Independence, 69; 7, Luke Beadles, Nolensville, 70; 8 (tie), Connor Caparos, Ravenwood, 71; Bryce Callaway, Brentwood, 71; Nolan Griggs, Brentwood, 71; 11 (tie), Eli Cleveland, Franklin, 72; Tyler Wilson, Page, 72; 13, Chubbs Wilds, Page, 73; 14, Heath Stout, Ravenwood, 74; 15, Cooper Wilcox, Franklin, 77. 

GIRLS 

Team Scores 

1, Ravenwood 145; 2, Page 163; 3, Franklin 165; 4, Nolensville 167; 5, Independence 173; 6, Brentwood 183; 7, Centennial 197; 8, Summit 202. 

Individual Results (Top 15) 

1, Sophia DiPaolo, Franklin, 68; 2, Hannah Walton, Ravenwood, 71; 3, Emily Nelson, Ravenwood 74; 4, Isabella McCutchen, Centennial, 77; 5 (tie) Piper Davis, Independence, 78; Holly Hake, Ravenwood, 78; 7 (tie) Brooke Brummet, Brentwood, 80; Gabby Diaz, Page, 80; Claudette Runk, Summit, 80; 11, (tie) Chloe Denham, Nolensville, 83; Scarlett Childs, Page, 83; 13, Kate Wasserman, Nolensville, 84; 14, Shelby Buffington, Page, 91; 15, Quincy Peacock, Independence, 95.