BELDEN - The state golf tournament's nearly a month away, but Tupelo's already thinking postseason.

The two-time defending champions, who wrapped up their regular season Thursday with a 19-stroke win against Baldwyn at the Tupelo Country Club, are looking to fill two key spots in their five-player championship lineup.

Fletcher Johnson, Thursday's medalist with a 1-under-par 35, leads the charge. The junior's joined by returning sophomore starters Noah West, who shot a 37, and Wilson Reeder, who recorded a 39 against the visiting Bearcats.

"Fletcher's played really well this season," Tupelo coach Mark Enis said. "He's medaled in three tournaments this season. Reeder's medaled in three and West one. We knew coming in they were our mainstays."

Johnson, who played in the 2009 U.S. Amateur, tied with two other golfers for 5A medalist last year at the state tournament in Madison at Reunion.

Between now and the Class 6A finals May 10-11 at Cherokee Valley in Olive Branch, Enis has to decide on his fourth and fifth players.

It's not going to be an easy decision.

Sophomore Nick Rainey, two eighth graders, Austin Rose and Hayden Buckley, and seniors Tucker Napier and Eric Symes are battling for the two spots.

Enis may find his answer at next week's division tournament in Southaven.

"I can leave things open until state," he said. "I have a tough decision to make. To win state, our top three have to be at the top of their game. We're going to depend on our four and five guys to keep it respectable."

Johnson is confident that any of the players bidding for the final two spots can contribute in the postseason.

"It hurt us when we lost Bo Reed (to graduation)," he said. "Rose and Rainey have helped us a lot this year, but I believe any of them can do it, I really do."

Johnson's says his play has picked up in the second half of the season. He struggled early, especially with his mid and long irons and wedges.

"I putted and drove the ball well," he said. "I had trouble putting it on the green. I'm kind of coming out of that now. I'm starting to come on strong and play with confidence."

He medaled earlier this week at Dogwood in Grenada, shooting a 1-under-par 71 to help the Golden Wave take a two-stroke win against last year's state runners-up, Northwest Rankin.

"Winning state will come down to putting," Johnson said. "If we don't putt well we're not going to win."