Lady Bears capture 15th tournament, Bears nab 20th tourney championship
BLACKSHEAR — Pierce County Middle School’s golf dominance continued here Thursday at the Okefenokee Golf & Country Club with the Lady Bears and Bears each winning their seventh consecutive Southeast Georgia Middle School Athletic Conference titles.
“I am super proud of all the players on both teams,” said PCMS head coach Shannon Batten. “They overcame adversity all season, especially the crazy weather. They worked hard throughout the season and then capped it off at the toughest course we play in conference — Okefenokee Country Club.
“I could not have done this without the parent’s help all season. It’s greatly appreciated. Also, thank you for entrusting me with your child and giving me the opportunity to coach your child this season.”
The Lady Bears’ Kadence Hale and Waycross Middle School’s Deacon Rafus claimed medalist honors. Hale, one of two golfers to break 50 in the girls’ match, posted a career- best score of 42 on the front nine. Rafus carded a three-over-par round of 39 over the back nine to top the boys’ field. Five other players broke 50.
The Lady Bears, winners of 14 of the last 16 championships, captured their 15th overall title since girls’ golf was added in 2001, shooting a two-person team score of 88 to win the March 20 six-team event.
Brantley County Middle School and Appling County Middle School tied for second with team scores of 112. Ware County Middle School finished fourth with a 126. Bethune Middle School followed with a 139 and Waycross Middle School totaled 141.
The Bears became the first program to 20 championship crowns, winning their 19th title over the last 22 years shooting a 190 for a 12-shot win over Waycross Middle. The Bulldogs were followed by Appling Middle (217), Brantley Middle (224), Ware Middle (228), Long County Middle School (240), Bacon County Middle School (250) and Bethune Middle (258).
Girls’ tournament PCMS’s Rhayn Tompkins joined Hale in the sub-50 club with a 46 for the team score. Morgan Hull and Grayson Harris were next with nine-hole scores of 54.
The Lady Herons were led by Kelsi Steedley’s 51. Allie Gray and Raeleigh Gibson posted scores of 61 and 62 respectively.
Appling Middle was led by the 50 of Jayna Edenfield. Briley Dawson posted a 62 with Emma Baxley finishing with a 64.
The Lady Gators received a 54 from McKenzie Page. Rylnn Simpson and Khloe Henderson carded a 72 and 73 respectively. Cora Britt finished with a 78.
Anslee Dill paced Waycross Middle with a 66. Ella Peters and Ellison Merson each posted 75.
Boys’ tournament Pierce Middle’s Will Higginson carded a career- best nine-hole score of 41. Caden Sapp followed with a 49. Cannon Braddy and Mason Hutcheson each shot 50 with Hutcheson’s total a career-best. Elliot Johnson posted a 52 with Chael Harris adding a 58.
Following Rafus for the Bulldogs were Kolby King with a 49, Will Peters posting a 51 and Caden Merritt 63.
Appling Middle was led by Tucker Perry’s 48. Knox Martin shot 51 with Zander Dawson and Cooper Gardner each posting 59. Hudson Lewis and Tobias Campbell shot 74 and 75 respectively.
The Herons’ Braxton Music and Owen Wildes tied for team honors with rounds of 54. Corey Selph shot 57 and Kase Crews 59 for the team score. Taylon Whitley finished with a 73 and Tyler Kelly shot 79.
Rhett Taylor was medalist for Ware Middle with a 44. Huck Hereford followed with a 51. Tison Cave shot 65 and Brantley Trull posted a 68. Cason Bennett finished with a 70 with Jackson Cornelius shooting 76.
Long Middle was led by the 53 of Alexavior Exhevverria. Kayden Chaney added a 58 with Zayne Vaughn and Caiden Cheeks shooting 64 and 65 respectively. Jackson Parker shot 72 with Max Chapman adding an 80.
Matthew Hyers recorded the lone sub-60 round for Bacon Middle finishing with a 54. Tylan Carter shot 62, Fisher Hennesy 66, Tripp Graham 68, Gavin Whitley 69 and Sebastian Jeffery 74.
Bethune Middle also had one sub-60 round with Ryne Turner’s 56. Blake Smith carded a 60. Camio McCrea and Khabeer Modh followed with 71s. Hudson Davis shot 74 and John Kitchings 76.
Regular season
PCMS finished the regular season with two three-team matches with a third cancelled due to wet conditions in Alma and the finale cancelled to get in a practice round at Okefenokee Golf & Country Club.
The Lady Bears shot 99 in the Tuesday, March 6 match at The Lakes at Laura S Walker State Park tying Wayne County’s joint middle school program and beating Host Brantley County Middle School’s 111.
Hull was low medalist with a 49. Hale and Tompkins each shot 50, and Harris added a 53.
Six other golfers also got to play. Ava Nimmer carded a 48 with Addi Murray shooting 55. Logan Peacock shot 58, Sofie Carter posted a 62, Hadley Arington finished with a 68 and Natalee Dixon added a 72.
The Bears totaled a 203 to beat the Herons (231) and Yellow Jackets (239).
Higginson posted a 43 for low medalist honors. He was followed by Sapp’s 47, Hutcheson’s 55, and Johnson’s 58 for the team score.
Braddy and Harris shot 60 and 61 respectively. Brody Stauffer finished with a 62 and Gabe Williams carded a 69.
In what turned out to be the final regular season match, the Lady Bears shot 85 to best Ware County Middle School (121) and Waycross Middle School (135) Thursday, March 13 at Lakeview Golf Club.
Hale posted a low medalist round of 41 with Tompkins following with a 44. The duo was followed by a 49 from Harris and a 52 from Hull.
Also playing were Carter with a 48, Nimmer and Murray with scores of 51 and 52 respectively, Dixon with a 57, Peacock with a 62 and Arington with a 66.
The Bears carded a season-high 205 to beat the Gators, who shot 224. Waycross Middle on had three players missing a fourth due to sickness.
Higginson was low medalist posting a 42. He was followed by Braddy (51), Johnson (55), and Hutcheson (57) for the team score.
Also participating were Sapp (60), Harris (61), Stauffer (62) and Williams (69). We can and must play to our potential.
