Saddle Ridge claims first-ever NGAC golf title
After slowly and steadily building up their program over the last several years, the Saddle Ridge Mustangs reached the pinnacle last Tuesday night with the program’s first ever North Georgia Athletic Conference Golf Championship.
Saddle Ridge finished with a team score of 212 to pick up a three-shot victory over both Gordon Lee and Heritage, who tied for runner-up honors at 215.
LaFayette (220) was fourth, followed by Dade (222), Ringgold (224), Lakeview (244) and
Chattanooga Valley (247).
The tournament championship capped a huge year for the Mustangs, who were unbeaten in league matches.
“It’s the banner we’ve been wanting since I’ve been coaching the last six years,” said head coach Jordan Ramey, who also announced that this would be his final season as the golf coach at Saddle Ridge. “This is definitely a great win for us. It’s golf history at Saddle Ridge.
“I’ve been very impressed with our kids. We’ve had multiple (golfers) earn low medalist honors (this season) and we even had another one step up tonight for us. We’ve had different kids play different matches all season, but it’s all been to our benefit.”
It was Taylor Clarke going low for the Mustangs as he shot a nine-hole score of 50, tying Heritage’s Luke Fitzsimmons for low medalist honors
on the boys’ side. Hayden Bowman added a 52, while Saddle Ridge’s score was rounded out by a 54 from Shane Johnston and a 56 from L.C. Mullaly.
Along with Fitzsimmons, the Generals got 55’s from Mason Davis, Kyler Coulter and Taylor Bunn. Also playing for Heritage was Sawyer Eaton and Nicolas Anchondo, who both carded scores of 58.
Gordon Lee got a pair of 52’s from Camdyn Carter and Charlsie McElhaney to go with a 55 from James Eldridge and a 56 from Asa Brown. Also teeing it up for the Trojans was Hailey Talley (58) and Luke Teeters (59).
Carter and McElhaney tied for low medalist honors on the girls’ side.
Ella Maples led LaFayette with a 53, while the Ramblers’ team score was completed by a 55 from Kevin Barfield and 56’s from Shelby Hudson and Levi Stanton. Tyson Simpson (58) and Chris Duncan (62) also played for LaFayette.
The fifth-place Wolverines got a 53 from Kooper Knight
and a 54 from Mason Weathers to go with a 56 from Walt Konrad and a 59 from Luke Rosenbaum. Avery Flatt (60) and Makayla Dunn (61) also played for Dade.
For Ringgold, Brayden Roach posted a 52 and Elijah Tipton added a 56. Brandon Gregory carded a 57, while Evan Vineyard and Lyla Watson both turned in 59’s.
Lakeview’s score included a 60 from Nolan Janvrin, a 61 from both Jake Seay and Marley Byrd and a 62 from Chloe Qualls. Sammy Carnes shot 63 during his round for the Warriors.
And for Chattanooga Valley, Ian Medford shot a 60, followed by 62’s from Zach Hawkins and Dakota Wright and a 63 by Trevor Dickerson.
Bowman (Saddle Ridge), Eaton (Heritage), Eldridge (Gordon Lee), Maples (LaFayette), Weathers (Dade), Roach (Ringgold) and Janvrin (Lakeview) were all named the All-League Team, while the top 10 individuals on the day collected All-Tournament awards.