Emilee Neissl stood toe to toe with the defending 3A state golf champion.
Then the Charleston sophomore took the title.
Neissl shot an 81 at Blytheville's Thunder Bayou Golf Links to win the championship last week.
"When I was going out there, I thought I could win this," Neissl said. "Tried my hardest and I ended up playing pretty good and it means the world to me. I was so excited. Going to number 18 I was like, I got this. Just at least par it, bogey. Either or, I would have it."
Neissl was the first Charleston golfer to even win a state championship, doing so in just her sophomore season.
"It is Charleston's first golfer to do that and that makes it really special," Charleston coach Jay Crowley said. "The good thing is I've got her for two more years"