The members of St. Aloysius’ golf team experienced something Thursday that they never had before at the state tournament.

Defeat.

Three of St. Al’s five golfers improved their scores from the first round to the second of the Class 1A tournament, but it wasn’t enough. Sacred Heart’s Hunter Hammett shot a 71 to earn medalist honors and the Crusaders ended St. Al’s four-year reign as state champions with a nine-shot victory at Natchez Trace Golf Club in Saltillo.

It’s just the second time since 2007 that St. Al has not won the Class 1A team championship. Both times it hasn’t won, St. Al has finished second.

“Everybody took it better than I thought we would,” said St. Al sophomore Channing Curtis, who finished one shot behind Hammett in the individual standings. “Everybody’s disappointed, but everybody realizes it was a rebuilding year. We improved a lot from yesterday. It just wasn’t enough.”

St. Al entered the second round 13 shots behind Sacred Heart in the team standings, and made a strong push for a comeback.

Curtis shot a 2-under par 70 and Brandon Teller chopped 12 strokes off his first-round score to card an 86. Seventh-grader Wilson Palmertree shot 100, one lower than his first-round score.

Gabriel Riveros followed up his first-round 75 with a 76, however, and Sacred Heart’s players didn’t slip enough to allow the Flashes to make a dent in the deficit.

Hammett shot 71 on Thursday — two better than his first-round score — and Sacred Heart’s three other golfers were all within two shots of their first-round totals.

Sacred Heart finished with a two-day team total of 670. St. Al was second at 679 and Tupelo Christian Prep third at 720.

Riveros finished tied for fifth in the individual standings with Hamilton’s Stone Tipton, with a two-day total of 151.

“I’m just proud of everybody. They really came through and played a lot better than everybody expected them to,” Curtis said. “I think it’s going to motivate everybody to work harder. They don’t like losing too much.”

Neither does Curtis, who finished as the runner-up to Hammett for medalist for the second consecutive year.

Curtis was one of eight golfers within seven shots of the lead entering the second round, and the one who made the biggest move on Thursday.

He made up four strokes on the back nine — two of them on the 18th hole by draining a 40-foot birdie putt — and cut five shots off his opening-round score of 75.

Hammett bogeyed No. 18, but still managed to finish with a two-day total of 144. Curtis was second at 145, and TCPS’ Parker Brooks third at 146.

“I had a few putts I should’ve made on earlier holes, and on the first day,” Curtis said. “I had a three-putt on 11 and I felt like that could’ve cost me.”

Curtis said he just can’t seem to get the upper hand on his fellow sophomore Hammett.

“It does tick me off, mainly because I can’t beat this kid. In summer golf I can’t beat him, either,” Curtis said. “I’m happy with (second place), but it still doesn’t feel good.”