White Plains wins first state title

The first state title in any sport for White Plains High School could hardly have been more meaningful.

The Wildcats shot a two-day total of 470 at Magnolia Grove in Mobile, winning the Class 4A-5A girls state golf title by 17 strokes over second-place Alexandria.

The tournament win came less than a month after White Plains sophomore golfer Keaten Beam was killed in a car accident.

Beam was killed when her jeep left the highway on April 19. She played No. 5 on the squad usually, and  was the undisputed life of the golf team.

When her teammates accepted their trophy Tuesday afternoon at the Robert Trent Jones course, they collectively exclaimed “Keaten loves you.” The team and fans also wear bracelets with that phrase on them.

Layne Dyar led White Plains with a 10-over 154, good for third overall in the individual race. Morgan Prickett (157) and Raegan Thompson (159) also finished in the top 10.

Keaten’s brother, Drennen, plays on the White Plains boys team. He shot a 161 as the Wildcats finished third in the 4A boys race.