Jeff Fisher has one of the easier coaching jobs in the Chattanooga area.

His main priority is to make sure Shelby Gilbert gets to the Notre Dame girls’ golf tournaments. Then his job is to get out of the way.

“I just have to make sure she shows up and then sees her father (Gibby III) or Hunt Gilliland when she needs a tune-up,” Fisher said. “She’s well beyond my level of expertise.”

Gilbert is the lone defending individual state golf champion from the Chattanooga area returning this season. The Notre Dame senior won the Class A/AA tournament by four strokes last fall at Old Fort Golf Course.

“Last year, I had to win state,” Gilbert said. “This year, it’s more of a personal goal for myself. I know what I need to do to practice, and that should carry me for the season.”

Last week, she accepted a scholarship offer to play at the University of Miami. With the pressure to impress college coaches out of the way, the granddaughter of PGA Tour veteran Gibby Gilbert can play freely against her high school competition.

But she wants to repeat as state champion.

“I’m not saying she is going to win, but if she plays up to her potential, she ought to be in contention to repeat,” Fisher said. “She has the ability to do it.”

Chattanooga Christian senior Patricia Masick has the same goal of winning the A/AA state title. She was in second place after the first round last year and finished fifth. Her college golf opportunities include a standing offer from Belmont after a solid summer that included a runner-up finish at the Chattanooga Women’s Amateur.

Gilbert and Masick could have several duels this season, since CCS and Notre Dame are both in District 6.

“I’ve had pretty good success this summer, and the goal is to win state,” Masick said Monday. “I’m really excited about the season. It starts tomorrow.”

CCS, GPS, Ooltewah, McMinn County and Soddy-Daisy will compete today at 1 p.m. at Black Creek Club.

The annual Baylor Preview tournament — played this year in honor of the late Matt Cunningham — is next Monday. It features some of the best teams across the state, including GPS, CCS, McCallie and Soddy-Daisy as well as the hosts.

“The Preview will be a good measuring stick with the teams in Division II, and we’ll see a few more of the local teams,” McCallie coach Tony Meyers said. “There are some good teams out there, and there are teams that have just a couple of individuals.”

The Baylor boys’ team won the Division II state title for the eighth time in the last nine years, and its girls’ team won a 13th consecutive state championship. Both teams are loaded to repeat again with a trio of seniors who will play at the college level — Matt Emery, Ryan Thornton and Jay Vandeventer — leading the boys seniors Morgan McQuary and Caroline Prebul pacing the Lady Red Raiders before moving on to college golf.

“It’s comforting having all of those guys coming back,” Baylor coach King Oehmig said. “As for the girls, you can’t replace Brooke (Pancake, who won four individual state titles). We’ll see how it all plays out.”

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