Maryville's ReBell, Huddleston and William Blount's Jones compete at State

SEVIERVILLE — Three local golfers, Maryville's Wil Huddleston and Ray ReBell along with William Blount's Bella Jones, competed as individuals in the TSSAA Class AA State Individual Tournament Thursday at Sevierville Golf Course. It is the first state appearance for Jones and Huddleston and the second for ReBell. ReBell led the group with a 1-under-par 71 and is tied for eighth with Houston's Whitten Smith, Centennial's Henry Rackley and Collierville's Jack Bridge heading into Friday's second round. Page's Jake Eickhoff leads the boys field with a 68, followed by Pages Carson Jenkins and Station Camp's Jonas Reynolds at 70.The Maryville sophomore started on No. 11 and made double bogey on his second hole, the par-4 12th. He didn't drop another shot. ReBell played his final 16 holes bogey-free in 3 under, with birdies at the par-3 17th, the par-5 third and the par-5 10th, his last hole of the day. 'I think I really grinded today,' ReBell told The Daily Times. 'I started out a little rough, but I pulled it back together at the end and finished pretty strong, so I'm pretty happy with how I did today.' Huddleston shot a 4-over 76 and is in a six-way tie for 23rd with Cookeville's Sean Montgomery, Science Hill's Avery Watts, Collierville's Luke Baker, Hendersonville's Brady Dorr and Page's Hudson McDowell. Also starting on No. 11, the Maryville junior birdied his opening hole but was 3 over through eight after a double bogey at the par-4 15th and a bogey at the par-5 18th. He played holes 1 through 9 in even-par 36, offsetting a double bogey at the par-3 fourth with birdies at Nos. 2 and 8, before closing with a bogey at the par-5 10th. 'Not super happy with how I performed today,' Huddleston said. 'But I got through it. Definitely some struggles and a lot to work on going into tomorrow. The driver was going pretty well today. I just couldn't really seem to get up and down whenever I missed the green.' For the girls, William Blount's Jones carded a 16-over-par 86 and is tied for 31st with Addie Szely of Dickson County after one day of action. The junior birdied the par-5 first hole, then gave it back with a triple bogey on No. 2. She steadied with pars on four of her next seven to make the turn at 5-over 42. 'It definitely was a boost confidence,' Jones said of starting with the birdie. The back nine was tougher. Jones made bogey or worse on eight of nine holes, including double bogeys on Nos. 11, 15 and 16, and her lone par came at the par-5 17th. She came home in 44. 'I didn't do my best today, so I'm just leaving it all out there tomorrow,' Jones said. Alli Troxel of Ooltewah (67) leads the girls field, followed by Addisyn Newman of Hardin Valley and Poppy Pewitt of Dickson County. UP NEXT: The tournament continues Friday, with Huddleston and ReBell playing the River Course again and Jones back on the Highlands Course. All three start on No. 1, with Huddleston teeing off at 10:20 a.m., Jones at 10:31 a.m. and ReBell at 10:42 a.m. 'I'm going to try to get after it tomorrow,' Huddleston said. 'Just come in focused and just ready to go.' 'The coaches were just telling us to have fun out there,' ReBell said. 'They're really cool about it, and kind of the mentality going into tomorrow is just having fun as well and trying our best and just taking each shot one at a time.'