Leading by six strokes heading into the final round, the St. Aloysius golf team had no team meetings or emotional speeches.

They went home, prepared for the final round and went to sleep.

On Tuesday, the team put the competition to sleep as well.

Senior Chase Smith won his third individual state championship with a two-day, 1-over 145 and the Flashes defeated Mercy Cross of Biloxi by 17 strokes to win the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 1A state championship at Clear Creek Golf Course in Bovina.

&#8220It feels great,” said John Lindigrin, who shot an 83 on Tuesday. &#8220We knew we had to play well today because we didn’t think six strokes would be enough.”

Mercy Cross finished second, but three of its four golfers who earned points – only the top four of five scores are counted – shot worse than they did on Monday.

The Flashes, though, saw Smith shoot a 1-under 71, three strokes better than Monday. Chris Johnson shot nine strokes better than his 93 on Monday.

&#8220I didn’t hit nearly as many balls out of bounds today,” Johnson said. &#8220I hit my driver out of bounds five times (Monday) and I really wanted to keep the ball in play.”

John Reid Golding, playing in the lead group with Smith and Mercy Cross’ Leland Dunning and Jacob Leckich, shot an 84, but the score was inflated after a wild 15th hole.

Golding hit his tee shot far to the left out of bounds on the multi-layered hole that starts on top of a ridge and lands deep below.

He and an opponent’s player’s parent got into a verbal spat about his options. Johnson elected to re-shoot off the tee with a penalty and ended with a nine on the hole. He then went bogey-par-par to end the round with an 84.

It was one of several distractions players dealt with, including rules questions and bickering parents.

&#8220I tried to forget about all the distractions, swing like I normally do and shake it off,” Golding said. &#8220It got to me on 15, but I was able to put it behind me on the last three holes.”

Smith, who won individual state championships as an eighth grader and again as a sophomore, was bitten by the putting bug. His drives were long and clean, but when he got to the green, trouble arose.

&#8220I didn’t make any putts all week outside of five feet,” Smith said. &#8220I just didn’t putt well at all.”

Natchez Cathedral finished a distant third with a 687.

Dunning received a second-place medal for his two-day 155 and Leckich and St. Al’s Charles Marsalis, who shot back-to-back 81s, tied for third place.

&#8220Mercy Cross was a lot better than we thought they were,” Smith said. &#8220But everyone on our team played good today. Our two-through-five players played really, really good.”