By Stan Olenik, Editor-Publisher, The Golf Club

MYRTLE BEACH — Expectations can be tougher than any opponent. For the defending state-champion T.L. Hanna Yellow Jackets, those expectations followed them to the Hackler Course at Coastal Carolina University — and for a while, it looked as if they might be catching up to the team from Anderson.

A slow start against a hot Chapin team

After the opening round of the South Carolina 5A Division II girls championship, Hanna found itself five shots behind a red-hot Chapin team that “couldn’t miss anything.”

“They played a phenomenal round one,” coach Gabby Kitts said. “We just weren’t really on our A-game that first day. We knew we had more to give.”

The Jackets also knew the weather could shorten the tournament to one day, so their slow start might have been costly if heavy rain had canceled the second round.

“Before the tournament we were told because of the weather it might end after one round,” Kitts said. “That was a wake-up call — you’d better be ready right away.”

Fortunately, a second round did happen — and that’s when Hanna turned the corner.

Weather, grit, and one spark

Tuesday brought rain, wind, and the kind of sloppy conditions that test every golfer’s patience. Clubs slipped from wet hands, shots flew unpredictably, and composure became as important as skill.

Even so, Hanna clawed its way back into contention until senior Marisa Scaletta delivered the moment that changed everything — an eagle 3 on the par-5 sixth hole.

“That was the jolt we needed,” Kitts said. “You could see the confidence — it lifted everyone.”

For Scaletta, it erased a shaky start that included three bogeys.

“I had about 78 yards, used my 56-degree, and I saw it go in,” she said. “After that I started checking the scoreboard after every hole. I could see the girls in front of me playing some of the tougher holes, and their lead was shrinking. It seemed like after every hole I gained another shot.”

She added a birdie on 14 and then parred her final holes to seal both the team and individual titles — a perfect send-off as she prepares to continue her golf career at Western Carolina University next year.

A runaway finish

From Scaletta’s eagle spark, the Jackets played like champions again. They tightened their execution, stayed patient in worsening weather, and steadily pulled clear of the field.

“At that point we didn’t have to do anything crazy,” Kitts said. “Just play smart, safe golf — and they did.”

By day’s end, Hanna had turned a five-shot deficit into a 12-shot victory, posting a 642 total to beat Conway (654), West Florence (660), Chapin (661), and St. James (680).

Scaletta’s 1-under-par 71 gave her a five-shot individual win over Cassie Peters of St. James and teammate Serra Erlenkeuser. Serra Schulze joined them in the top five, giving Hanna three players among the state’s elite.

A family tradition continues

Marisa Scaletta joined her brother Bennett, the 2023 boys medalist, in the record books — becoming the third brother-sister duo in South Carolina history to win state golf titles. The others were Michael and Anne Maness (Aynor) and Keenan and Victory Huskey (Greenville).

Looking ahead

With the girls’ trophy secure, attention now shifts to the Hanna boys, who will try to defend their own 5A-II crown next spring and keep all the championship hardware in Anderson.

“We started the year a little slow with a few second- and third-place finishes,” Kitts said, “but after that we were winning everything. We knew it was going to be tough to win again, but they played their A-game and got it done.”