Lady Rams regain Class 5A golf crown

PARAGOULD — Three years between state championships amounts to a slump for Lakeside’s girls golf program. But on Tuesday, the Lady Rams played at a high level and celebrated afterward.

Gracen Blount, the team’s only senior, shot a 2-over 72 at Paragould Country Club as Lakeside won the Class 5A title by 11 strokes over the host Lady Eagles. Abby Lea Hewitt followed with a 75 and fellow ninth-graders Macy Landry and Carly Orr each shot an 87 for Lakeside, winning its sixth girls’ state title under coach Gary Don Smith and 11th overall. The top three Lady Rams totaled 234.

Forrest City senior Elizabeth Moon, one of the state’s top junior golfers, had a low round of 6-under 64. She and Blount and Maumelle’s Alexis Montgomery (73) advance to the state overall tournament next month at Little Rock’s Pleasant Valley Country Club. Blount and Hewitt earned all-state honors.

The Lady Rams clinched the championship when Maumelle’s No. 3 player posted a 101_254. “If she had gone 80 or lower (the Lady Hornets) would have beaten us,” Smith said.

Lakeside won its first title under Smith in 2008 and then four in a row from 2011-2014. The Lady Rams also were state golf champions in 1999-2001 and 1971 and ‘72.

Blount, who has verbally committed to Central Arkansas, concentrated on golf athletically in her senior year.

“During the summer she would go to the country club at 9 in the morning and stay until 7 in the evening,” Smith said. “She put in the hours necessary to get here.”

Hot Springs Country Club is host to the Class 5A boys’ tournament Oct. 4, beginning at 11 a.m.. Lakeside, fourth last year, is “in the hunt,” Smith said. “We need to be consistent.”