A pair of Walker Valley golfers chose their collegiate teams this past week, both deciding to stay local.
Cody Skipper will be heading to Athens to play for NAIA Tennessee Wesleyan University, while Carson Milen has decided to continue his link career at Cleveland State.
"Super proud of both these young men," proclaimed Walker Valley head coach Will Campbell. "They were both four-year members of the WV golf team. They played pivotal roles this year to help us win the district. And Cody was the individual Region champion this year.
"Excited to follow them as they continue their educational and golf careers," he added. "They have represented WV well and they will continue to do that at the next level."
Skipper won a six-way playoff to claim the Region 3 individual championship and earned his first TSSAA State Championship berth.
"I’m so proud of Cody Skipper — Region Champion," declared Coach Campbell after the region event. "What a deserving young man.
"He lost in a playoff to go to state his sophomore year. Had to sit out last season (due to a TSSAA ruling on home-school students) and then to win the Region as a senior.
"He played for us as a freshman and sophomore, but halfway through his sophomore year his parents decided to home school him. TSSAA ruled that even though the family lives in our (WV) zone, because he technically transferred, he had to sit out a year. We appealed but they still denied it."
"That just speaks volumes about his determination and his character," the Mustang mentor continued. "I’m just really proud of him and so happy for him to have accomplished this.
With Walker Valley dominating the competition throughout the season, the duo helped the Herd claim the District 5 championship by 21 strokes.
"Carson's a hard-working kid that puts in a lot of extra work," the coach assessed. "He works at Flagstone and Falcon Pointe (golf clubs) and has played a lot of golf in the summer. He's also in band, so that takes a lot of his time, bouncing back and forth."
Milen participated in seven Sneds and Open Series events last summer, earning runner-up honors at Bear Trace (Cumberland) and Brown Acres, plus had four other Top 5 finishes, including a 75-78 — 148, which tied him for seventh at the Henry Horton two-day tournament.
His best round of the summer came in the final 18 holes of the two-day Chattanooga Regional Championship, where he shot 74 on the Moccasin Bend layout.
