The St. Aloysius Flashes have some ground to make up if they’re going to keep their drive for five alive.

Channing Curtis and Gabriel Riveros both shot 75 Wednesday to tie for fifth in the individual standings, but Sacred Heart opened up a 13-shot lead in the team competition at the MHSAA Class 1A state golf tournament at Natchez Trace Golf Club in Saltillo.

St. Al, the four-time defending state champion, totaled 347 for the first round as a team. Brandon Teller shot 98, Luke Dial 99 and Wilson Palmertree 101 to round out the team scoring. The top four golfers on each squad count toward the team score.

Sacred Heart only had one golfer break 80, but made up for that lack of top-level firepower with depth.

Sacred Heart had the first-round leader, Hunter Hammett, and three other golfers at 92 or lower to toal 334 shots as a team.

J.P Andy shot 80 for Sacred Heart, Jackson Allen was at 91 and Trent Gilbertson at 92.

Hammett is the defending individual state champion. He led a crowded — and talented — leaderboard. The top five finishers at last year’s Class 1A tournament, including Curtis and Riveros, returned this year and broke 80 in the first round. Eight golfers in all were within seven shots of the lead.

Brandon Walker of Vardaman was one shot back of Hammett, with a first-round 72. Tupelo Christian Prep’s Parker Brooks and Hamilton’s  Stone Tipton were next at 74, followed be Curtis and Riveros (75), TCPS’ Jackson Mills (76), Nanih Waiya’s Jake Kight (78) and Salem’s Jason Byrd (78).

Tupelo Christian Prep was third in the team standings with 353 and Hamilton was a distant fourth at 379.