Lots of winning with FHS girls, boys golf
The 2024 regular season has ended for the Farragut High School golf teams. That doesn’t mean, however, that head coach Ryan Mahoney and his teams are sitting around.
“We’re not playing this week because we’re getting prepared for districts,” said Mahoney, who is in his second season as FHS head coach, about the District 4-AA Tourney Tuesday, Sept. 24, at Egwani Farms Golf Course in Rockford for both the girls and boys teams. “We’ll have a practice round at Egwani this week.”
Farragut has long been home to one of Tennessee’s elite high school golf programs, but the 2024 teams were both at the crossroads as graduation and other departures hit the team hard. “Coming into the season, we really didn’t know what to expect,” Mahoney said. “We lost a lot of talented players to graduation.”
In addition to those who graduated, two players (one boy and one girl) moved during the offseason.
Interest in golf at the school, however, was at an all-time high, judging from the number of student-athletes who attended tryouts in the spring.
“We had 32 kids come to tryouts when we had them in the spring,” Mahoney said. “And that’s the most that we’ve ever had try out at Farragut.”
As the 2024 campaign progressed, the Admirals and Lady Admirals found their way.
For the boys, junior Hudson Capps emerged as the No. 1 player. He was coming off a back injury, missing significant golfing time last season.
Sophomores William Feehan (No. 2) and Quinn Beck (No. 3) have been steady contributors for the Admirals this season, while senior Nicholas Lin and sophomore Bryce Coulter have alternated at No. 4.
The Lady Admirals are led by sophomore Harper Holmes, who has been their No. 1 player on the ladder since her freshman year. “Harper is a very talented player,” Mahoney said. “... She’s had a few rounds under par this year.”
Senior Ava Shafe is a savvy veteran who’s had a solid season.“Ava is a senior; she’s a four-year player for us and she’s had a great year,” Mahoney said.
About freshman Sophie Williams, “You’ll be hearing a lot about her,” the coach said. “It’s a big step up, a big adjustment for her. That’s the biggest adjustment, the biggest step up, when you transition from middle school to high school.”
The season has been one filled with success for both the Admirals and Lady Admirals, but things will heat up next week at the district championships. Mahoney’s girls and boys will face some of the toughest opponents, both team and individually, in the state.
