In 2009, freshmen Meredith Gray and Anna Higgins complemented the effort of Jerrah Baker to lead Cherokee’s girls golf team into the state championships for the first time.

Though Baker then transferred to Creekview and later moved on to college, Gray and Higgins maintained the Lady Warriors’ newfound expectations for success by helping the team to a runner-up finish in Region 5AAAAA and a 10th-place standing in the state in 2011.

Now seniors — and before they reunite with Baker at West Georgia next year — Gray and Higgins will look to lead Cherokee to far more than just a chance to play beyond the region tournament.

“Region champs as a team is definitely a big goal for them, and for all of us,” said first-year Cherokee coach Robin Roper. “Scoring higher than 10th in the state is a goal for us. Signing golf scholarships is a motivator. Going to the same school where Jerrah Baker is playing, it’s a chance to get back with Jerrah and the team bonding that they had that year, which was the first year they went to state.”

Higgins, who won the Region 5AAAAA individual championship last year in a playoff, is still trying to shoot lower and, according to Roper, will challenge Gray throughout the season for top billing.

In addition to the competition between Higgins and Gray, Roper said she will receive depth from Amanda Burton and Sydney Van Alstyne, both of whom shoot in the low 90s.

Beyond Cherokee in Region 5AAAAA, Etowah has up-and-coming talent that may help them contend for a state bid this year. Freshman Melanie Talbott will be the team’s anchor according to coach Jamie Nelson.

“With Melanie, I think we have an opportunity for low medalist (in region),” Nelson said. “Expect Melanie to be that girl. I hope the other girls improve, pick up a few strokes. We hope to sneak in and put two scores (low) enough to sneak (into the state championships).”

Etowah will also have a great deal of experience in seniors Karly Wyant and Desiree Seals.

“The two seniors have been with me for three years, going on four,” Nelson said. “They’re not quite at the level of Melanie, but have been through three region tournament and have experience and knowledge of the course and an understanding of how to play their games. And their play has improved.

For the Lady Eagles, there will be a lot of competition, with the likes of Cherokee and Walton in the way.

In Class AAAA, Sequoyah is replacing coach Kathryn Lockrem, who stepped down after 10 years at the team’s reins. New coach Sharon Peters stepped in and has to replace a lot of talent with just three juniors returning to bolster four underclassmen.

“It’s going to be a building year for us I believe, but we have a lot of potential on the driving range,” Peters said. “We haven’t gotten to finish nine holes yet because the sun sets too quickly.”

Sequoyah’s leadership will come from juniors Sarah Honeycutt and Emily Hirschberger, though freshman Lane Lauletta, the younger sister of Sequoyah quarterback Lex, has shown the ability to drive the ball “about 200 yards” off the tee.

The Lady Chiefs will have junior Melissa Freeman, sophomore Griffin Dwyer and freshman Anna-Tate Dorner to provide depth.

At rival Creekview, there is more experience this year and added expectations after the Lady Grizzlies finished third in Region 7AAAA last year and second at the county tournament.

“I think our first goal would be to win the county,” Creekview coach Casey Gramling said. “We want to get the trophy back, and we’d love to finish top-two in the region. Lambert is a perennial state top-two (team). I don’t know if we could hang with them, but we might be able to sneak into the No. 2 seed to get to the state tournament.

“If we improve our focus and learn how to practice hard and show commitment, then we can reach our goals. We’ve got a good group of girls and this should be a fun year.”

Whitney Stevenson, a junior who can shoot in the high 70s, will lead Creekview. Senior Samantha Markley can break 90, while junior Kaitlyn Hanson and seniors Rebecca Dickinson and Paige Amos are all working to break 100. Beyond those three, freshman Megan May has a chance to break into the Lady Grizzlies’ top two, though Gramling said he wouldn’t know until the team’s first match.