Benton won the Division I girls state championship for the second straight year Tuesday in Youngsville.
Because inclement weather which resulted in a lengthy delay, the tournament at the Les Vieux Chenes Golf Club was called after nine holes.
Benton sophomore Grace Goodwin and senior Abigail McWillisms combined for a 1-over 73 on the front nine. The Tigers shot 5-under-par 215 over 27 holes. Barbe finished a distant second at 12-over 232.
Benton led Barbe by 12 strokes after the 18-hole first round.
Goodwin and McWilliams finished second and third, respectively, in the medalist competition.
Goodwin finished at 3 under. McWilliams was one shot back.
Goodwin had six pars, one birdie, one bogey and one double bogey. McWilliams had one bogey and two birdies.
Brusly’s Maci Williams shot a 2-under 34 Tuesday and took medalist honors at 6 under.
The tournament was the final one for Benton Head Coach Tim Cram, who has led the Tigers to unprecedented success.
Cram became the head coach in 1997. During his tenure, Benton won seven boys and two girls state championships.
The Tigers won the Class 3A boys title in 2004. They had a remarkable run of five straight Division II titles from 2012 to 2016. Benton also won the 2018 Division II championship. After moving up to Division I, the Tigers finished runner-up in 2021 and 2023,
Benton senior Kade Bryant finished tied for 17th in the Division I boys tournament at The Wetlands in Lafayette.
He shot a 3-over 39 on the first nine holes and finished at 3-over 111 over 27 holes. Lafayette High’s Drew Sliman took medalist honors at 7 under. He finished one stroke ahead of Northshore’s Justin Lotz and two ahead of Jesuit’s Duke Nitcher.