Gadsden, AL – Low medalist Edwards fires 69, and White Plains’ other four players shoot in 70s as Wildcats win at Twin Bridges. Oxford’s boys and girls, Weaver’s boys, Piedmont’s girls and Donoho’s Chandler advance.
Postseason is the time for a competitor’s best, and White Plains’ boys packed their best in their golf bags Tuesday.
Low medalist Sawyer Edwards led the way with a 69, and the Wildcats shot 288 to win the Class 4A, Section 3 tournament at Twin Bridges Golf Course.
White Plains beat second-place Cherokee County (320), Oneonta (322), Etowah (330), DAR (333), Madison County (368), Hanceville (379) and Jacksonville (422). The top four teams and top four individuals not playing for the top four teams advance to sub-state May 7 at Silver Lakes.
“Excited about Tuesday,” White Plains coach Chris Randall said. “The guys rang the bell, showed how good they can play. Now, we just have to put it all together again at Silver Lakes.”
White Plains’ Wyatt Cotney finished second with a 71 at sectional. Ryder Hudgins and Ethan McCareeth shot matching 74s. Cam Hurst didn’t factor in the team score but shot 78.
Team scores factors in the four best individual scores, and the Wildcats were a tough crowd Tuesday.
“We picked the best time to play our best round as a team,” White Plains coach Chris Randall said. “Seems like all year, three of the five would have good days, and two would struggle, but today, all five played really solid.”
Edwards, who won his second Calhoun County title in three years earlier in April, set the tone.
“When Sawyer can go out in front and post that score, it really encourages the guys behind him,” Randall said. “It makes them relax and play with a little bit more confidence. Sawyer is just different.
“Wyatt Cotney coming in with a 71 was amazing, and Ethan McCareeth had a stretch where he went birdie-eagle-birdie on the back nine. Ryder Was solid all day long and seems like he made every big putt he had to.”
Class 6A, Section 3
OXFORD BOYS, GIRLS QUALIFY: At Cider Ridge, Cohen Picton shot a 75 to lead Oxford to a third-place finish, good enough to make the sub-state round.
Mountain Brook finished first at 282, followed by Homewood at 289, Oxford at 3:09 and Mortimer Jordan at 218.
Brayden Cochran shot 78, Chip Mraz 77 and Jay Whaley 79.
“I told the guys it was a day when we played smart and didn’t take chances,” Oxford coach Jeff Bain said. “Top four advance. We didn’t need to take chances. Survive and advance. Very happy with the guys today.”
Oxford’s girls finished second, shooting 318. Annabelle and Chloe Page tied for sixth place. Further information was not available.
Oxford’s substate is May 6 at Athens’ Canebrake Golf Club.
Class 3A, Section 3
Nick Ledbetter sparked interest in Weaver High School golf during the 2023 graduate’s run there. Now that he’s playing for Talladega College, he has reason to smile about his high school alma mater.
Playing at Twin Bridges, the Bearcats shot 348 and finished fourth at Twin Bridges on Tuesday, qualifying as a team for sub-state.
Westbrook Christian won at 295, followed by Sylvania (337), Plainview (340), Weaver (348), Piedmont (357) and Susan Moore (375).
Weaver’s Hunter Hise shot an 84. Rounding out Weaver’s scorers were John Curtis Reeves at 86, Konnor Mayfield at 87 and Aiden Hansen at 91.
“Very proud of how they played,” Weaver coach Justin Brown said. “They played level headed, and when a bad shot came, they just put their head down and played the next shot.”
Class 1A-3A, Section 3
Mayce Chandler shot a 105 at Dogwood Hills, and Piedmont’s girls shot 322 to finish second and qualify for sub-state. Brookelyn Goss shot 107, and Reece Kirkpatrick shot 110 to round out Piedmont’s scoring players.
Ider finished first at 314.
Class 1A-2A, Section 3
Donoho had a great run in golf, with a Class 1A-2A state title in 2018 and a runner-up finish in 2019. Then the program went away because of lack of interest.
Carson Chandler is doing his best to revive Donoho golf.
The son of Calhoun County golfing legend Ott Chandler shot a 75 and was runner up Tuesday at Dogwood Hills at Flat Rock. He qualified individually to compete in sub-state competition.
