The Chesnee Eagles finished as the runner-up in the South Carolina AA championship last spring.

Chesnee High School’s boys golf team had a very successful season finishing second in the state AA championship.

Now a new girls team may be on the same track to be a factor in state championship play.

Spartanburg School District 2 approved the addition of girls golf to the Chesnee athletic program.

The District also authorized the school to begin a girls tennis program and a co-ed soccer program.

“Thirty to forty more kids are going to get a chance to play a high school sport and that is a winning situation for our students,” said Chesnee Athletic Director Jim Hyatt. “Chesnee is a growing school and our athletic programs are growing with the school,” he said.

While the soccer and tennis teams will be a complete start up, the girls golf program will begin with at least three established players.

During the past few years several girls from Chesnee High School have been a part of the Boiling Springs team. Last year they helped the Bulldogs to a runner-up finish in AAAAA.

“With those three coming back to Chesnee we think we are going to be really good real soon,” said the athletic director.

The South Carolina High School League’s constitution allows for athletes in the same school district to play at another district school if their school does not offer their sport.

The Chesnee student-athletes played for the Bulldogs under a waiver from the SCHSL, the permission of Region III and the AAAAA Classification because Chesnee did not offer girls golf.

The recent success of the program and the potential of the golfers may have scared some of the higher ranked traditional AAAAA power teams. This led to a decision by the Classification’s board not to grant the waiver this year and force the break up of a strong competitors team.

The Boiling Springs Bulldogs won the AAAAA Upper State championship at The Carolina Country Club. Team members included Coach Kyle Scruggs, Sydney Roberts, Madison Dixon, Isabella Britt, Amber Amaker, Caitlyn Cash and Assistant Coach Shannon Turner.

“It is too bad because our girls loved playing together. They had been together for a few years and all of them worked so hard to get in position to win a state championship. It is a shame that as we were getting close this had to happen,” said Kyle Scruggs who coached the Boiling Springs team.

Scruggs guided the Bulldogs to the Upper State AAAAA title and second place in the state. He has been named the first girls coach at Chesnee.

“We are excited to have him back on this side of the District. Kyle and the girls are all Chesnee people who love their school. Even if they could not have played they didn’t want to transfer. This is their home and we are glad they will be playing for the black and gold this year,” said Hyatt.

Sydney Roberts, Isabella Britt and Caitlin Cash are the three Chesnee students who will make up the new Eagles team.

Isabella Britt is 27th in the current SCJGA girls ranking

All three play high school golf as well as state junior events. Britt is currently the highest rated golfer (27) in the South Carolina Junior Golf Association rankings

“I’m very excited about the possibilities we have here at Chesnee,” said Scruggs. “We have four golfers right now and that is enough for a team, but we would like to have more girls come out and help us get off to a great start,” said Scruggs who is also a teacher in the Chesnee portion of the district.

Getting the new teams and opportunity for Chesnee students means the Athletic Department has to scramble to get ready for the upcoming season.

Hyatt has to hire a few more coaches, develop a schedule and secure facilities for practices and games.

“Our new superintendent, Lance Radford, is big on increasing opportunities at Chesnee. He sees the value of sports and understands its place in the high school environment. It is going to be a scramble to get ready for the new season, but it is an exciting time at Chesnee,” concluded Hyatt.