Caroline Hawkins makes SC golf history. Lexington girls win another state title
Blythewood senior Caroline Hawkins made state history, while Lexington girls golf team added to its storied tradition Tuesday.
Hawkins, the Clemson commit, won the Class 5A Division I individual championship held at a rainy Carolina Country Club in Spartanburg. It is her fourth straight individual championship, which is a state record, breaking the tie shared by two other girls golfers.
“I’m very excited and also sad that is my last high school event,” Hawkins said. “But to go out with a four-peat, I set the goal really high after I won my second one because nobody has done that before.
“I am very thankful that I get to play golf and am very excited about the whole thing.”
While Hawkins won the individual title, Lexington won the 5A Division I team championship for the program’s 15th state title and first since 2020. The Wildcats’ 15 titles are 10 more than the next best program.
But it was a journey getting back to the championship spot. Lexington finished third in last year’s championship.
“It is satisfying,” Lexington coach Brandon Smith said. “You start questioning things and what are we doing wrong? But the girls we have worked so hard over the last two to three years. The growth they have had is so impressive.
“The memory of finishing third last year. We talked after we left Columbia Country Club that we are good enough to win, but we need to out-work everyone from now until next October, and they did that.”
The 5A Division I championship was shortened to 18 holes after rain washed out play on Monday.
The weather wasn’t ideal on Tuesday but Hawkins, Lexington and the other golfers managed through it. The Clemson commit remember the advice from her coach this week about being “unflappable” in all situations.
“That message really kept me going and kept saying prayers between shots,” Hawkins said. “I had a couple of bad shots early and started getting in my own head. But the turning point for me was the back nine. I was pretty steady. I had a bogey on 17, but I kept concentrating one shot at a time.”
Hawkins shot a 3-over 75 in the wet conditions to win by one shot over Cane Bay’s Julia Gressette and Dorman’s AC Peak.
Lexington (+48) finished one stroke ahead of three-time defending state champion Dorman and two shots ahead of rival River Bluff. Blythewood finished ninth.
The Wildcats were ahead for about the first 12 holes before Dorman took the lead. But Smith said the difference came down to his golfers’ final holes. The four Wildcat golfers played their 18th holes at combined even par.
“It was enough to hold on,” Smith said.
Lexington’s Lyles Heritage was sixth and Giavanna Martusciello and Claire Kim tied for ninth to earn all-state honors, which is top-10 golfers and ties. Heritage had a key birdie on her last hole.
River Bluff’s Minghe Huang and Charli Heaton were fourth and fifth, respectively, to lead the Gators.
Class 5A Division II
TL Hanna won its second straight title after rallying in the second day of the 5A Division II girls championship.
TLH shot a 642 over the two days to win by 12 shots over Conway (654). West Florence was third at 660 and first-round leader Chapin was fourth with 661.
TL Hanna’s Marissa Scarletta (147) won the individual championship by five shots over St. James’ Cassie Peters. Chapin’s Ansley Couch (158) was fifth and earned all-state honors
Class 4A
Hilton Head Island cruised to its third state championship.
The Seahawks finished with 616. May River was second at 646. It was HHI’s first title since 2003.
AC Flora (717) was sixth, Camden (728) eighth and Gilbert (763) 11th.
HHI’s Harper Hedden shot a 2-under 143 to win the individual title by six shots over May River’s Hailey Zhao.
AC Flora’s Merritt Barbery tied for fifth, Gray Collegiate’s Kyle Smith was sixth and Gilbert’s Adysen Langdale seventh to earn all-state honors.
Class 3A
Mountain View Prep repeated as 3A champions. MVP shot 721 to win by five shots over Aynor.
Aynor’s Ella Kate Barnett (154) won her second straight individual championship.
Class A/2A
Chesnee won its fifth straight championship, fourth in A/2A.
Chesnee shot 346 and won by three shots over Atlantic Collegiate. The tournament was shortened to 18 holes because of weather.
Clinton’s Mia Carles (69) won the state championship by two shots over Chesnee’s Jada Flynn.
SCHSL Golf Championship Scores
Class 5A Division I
Team Scores: Lexington 336; Dorman 337; River Bluff 338; Carolina Forest 348; Ashley Ridge 363; Cane Bay 369; Wando 376; Byrnes 377; Blythewood 379; West Ashley 398; Mauldin 420; Spartanburg 424; JL Mann 425; Boiling Springs 452; Spring Valley 469; Stratford 486
All-State: Caroline Hawkins (BL) 75; Julia Gressette (CB) 76; AC Peake (DOR) 76; Minge Huang (RB) 77; Charli Heaton (RB) 80; Lyles Herritage (Lex) 82; Lexi Wohlers (CF) 82; Ava Kaplan (WAN) 83; Minea Kosonen (CF) 84; Ava Romansky (DOR) 84; Giavanna Martusciello (LEX) 84; Annabel Carman (AR) 84; Claire Kim (LEX) 84
Class 5A Division II
Team Scores: TL Hanna 642; Conway 654; West Florence 660; Chapin 661; St. James 680; Catawba Ridge 682; North Myrtle Beach 690; Northwestern 725; Lucy Beckham 729; Nation Ford 750; Lugoff-Elgin 772; Eastside 778; Indian Land 779; Greenwood 792; Greenville 794; Berkeley 816
All-State: Marissa Scalette (TLH) 147; Cassie Peters (SJ) 152; Serra Erienkeuser (TLH) 152; Addison Suggs (WF) 157; Ansley Couch (CH) 158; Sierra Schultze (TLH) 158; Lillian Rivers (NOR) 159; Bria Regina (LB) 160; Reese Richardson (CON) 161; Riley Batson (CON) 162; Natasha Greer (SJ) 162; Gracyn Cox (CON) 162; Lana Claire Jordan (WF) 162
Class 4A
Team Scores: Hilton Head Island 616; May River 646; South Aiken 671; Fountain Inn 677; North Augusta 712; AC Flora 717; Daniel 720; Camden 728; Pickens 741; Wren 755; Gilbert 763; Beaufort 775; York 792; Bluffton 832; Blue Ridge 854; Seneca 903
All-State: Harper Hedden (HHI) 143; Hailey Zhao (MR) 149; Phebe Reese (NA) 150; Catharine Gavin (HHI) 150; Brooke Niclaus (HH) 152; Merritt Barbery (ACF) 152; Kylie Smith (GC) 153; Adysen Langdale (GIL) 154; Gracey Roberts (GR) 154; Callie Lawton (YOR) 155
Class 3A
Team Scores: Mountain View Prep 721; Aynor 726; Christ Church 746; Southside Christian 793; Oceanside Collegiate 794; St. Joseph’s 833; Waccamaw 858; Walhalla 873; Chapman 876; Broome 892; Pendleton 897; Belton-Honea Path 903; Loris 926; Greer MC 934; Palmetto 942
All-State: Ella Kate Barnett (AY) 154; Emma Bulman (MVP) 158; Arley Jennings (MVP) 159; Kate Gunnells (BHP) 164; Katelyn Cubbison (SC) 165; Olivia Jones (MVP) 171; Karsyn Herron (FC) 172; Sarah Hoffman (OC) 174; Lila Wills (CC) 177; Isabella Poore (CC) 177
Class A/2A
Team Scores: Chesnee 346; Atlantic Collegiate 349; Andrew Jackson 391; Philip Simmons 418; Academic Magnet 421; Landrum 439; Cheraw 446; Horse Creek Academy 450; Buford 471; Brashier MC 474; Chesterfield 487; The Governor’s School 502; McBee 538
All-State: Mia Carles (CL) 69; Jada Flynn (CHESN) 71; Clara Beth Brady (AC) 78; Katelyn Daly (AC) 81; Bella Stroupe (AC) 81; Aubrey Rascon (AJ) 83; Abby Herrington (CHESN) 88; Amelia Shields (CHESN) 91; Mae McHugh (GS) 92; Tallulah Phillips (LAN) 93; Anslee Zielinski (HC) 93
This story was originally published October 28, 2025 at 7:18 PM.
