Karley Whittington had a comeback for the ages. She just didn’t get the storybook finish to go with it.

The Warren Central senior wiped out a four-shot deficit at the turn Tuesday — within three holes — in the second round of the MHSAA Class 6A girls golf state tournament. Two missed birdie putts over the final three holes, however, allowed D’Iberville’s Hannah Levi to rally herself and steal a one-stroke victory and her third consecutive state championship.

“She was there at the end. She could have easily given up, but she didn’t,” Warren Central coach Matt Williams said of Whittington.

Whittington trailed Levi by two shots entering the final round on Tuesday. That deficit grew to four heading to the back nine, but a minor implosion by Levi opened the door for a rapid comeback.

Levi made bogey on the 10th hole and triple bogey on the 11th, while Whittington went par-bogey. A birdie by Whittington on No. 12 while Levi made par tied the final chapter in their long-running rivalry. Whittington then made par on No. 13 while Levi made double bogey to pull in front by two shots.

Levi didn’t wilt, though. She pulled back even on the 16th hole as Whittington missed a birdie putt. Both players parred No. 17, and on the 18th Levi made another birdie to put the pressure on Whittington.

Whittington had a 4-foot putt for birdie to force a playoff, but it lipped out. She settled for par and second place in the state tournament for the third year in a row.

It was a difficult finish for one of the best female golfers in Mississippi high school history. In six varsity seasons — she started as a seventh-grader — Whittington won two individual state titles and never finished worse than third.

The Central Arkansas signee lost in a playoff for second place as a seventh-grader, won the state title in 2014 and 2015, and then was the runner-up to Levi the next three years.

“To go your whole high school career and the worst she ever did was second and lost in a playoff, that’s pretty remarkable,” Williams said. “It was a great run. In the six years with Karley and Mia (Wamsley) we never finished worse than fourth at any tournament or at state.”

Warren Central finished fourth in the team standings Tuesday as the tournament concluded at Sunkist Country Club in Biloxi. Levi led D’Iberville to a two-day team score of 319 for the title.

Ocean Springs finished second, with a team score of 331. Starkville was third at 341, and Warren Central fourth at 343.

Warren Central’s boys will play in the Class 6A state tournament Thursday and Friday at Lake Caroline Country Club in Madison.