Thursday March 28th, 2024 7:44PM

Golf: Youth helps drive GHS boys, NHall girls to repeat as Hall County champs

By Jeff Hart Sports Reporter

OAKWOOD — The youth movement around Hall County was ever-present on Tuesday at the annual Hall County Championships being staged at Chicopee Woods Golf Course.

So much so that North Hall junior Colin Henderson (4-under par 68) and Cherokee Bluff freshman Alisa Pressley (6-over par 78) made off with the top hardware winning their first-ever individual titles.

But in the end, the Gainesville boys and North Hall girls continued to dominate the tournament repeating as Hall County champions after the two-day event.

The Red Elephants shot a tournament-record 284 to outpace second-place Cherokee Bluff (304), placing four in the top five on the individual leaderboard.

The Lady Trojans used their big Day 1 to hold off Cherokee Bluff, finishing with a 277 to the Lady Bears’ 295.

“We had good weather for both days and that really helped,” Gainesville boys coach Cameron Millholland said. “We put up some good scores overall. The guys were super loose and we had a talk before the tournament and they were dialed in and focused, took it one shot at a time, and played well I thought.”

Henderson took a two-shot lead over three players into Tuesday's final round and did just enough to hold off the Red Elephants’ Wiley Hickerson (3-under 69) down the stretch. Gainesville’s Ryan Davidson and Lakeview Academy’s Tanner Stephens finished tied for third at 2-under 70 to give Henderson plenty to worry about.

“I came in today just trying to build off what I shot (on Monday),” he said. “I knew I was going to need to hit the ball well because I knew the Gainesville guys, and a bunch of other guys too, would challenge me. I drove the ball pretty well, hit some greens, and just tried to two putt.

“I was able to stay away from the big numbers and I think that was the key. It feels really good to say Hall County Champion.”

On the girls side, Pressley, despite being a freshman, has been playing the circuit for several years but had to endure a different format to be one of the few to win the event in her first varsity season. She shot identical 39s on the two days.

“I don’t think I was at my best but I was able to make some putts and I think that was the difference,” Pressley said. “I loved playing at the high school level. There is a lot of young talent my age ready to come up and it’s going to be super exciting getting to play with all these girls over my high school career.”

It was the highest finish ever for the Lady Bears and Pressley said she is also excited about the program moving forward. They matched the Lady Trojans with a 137 on Tuesday, which was a 21-shot improvement from the opening round.

“We’re making a lot of improvement as a group,” Pressley. “It took us a little time to kind of get together but now I feel like we’re ready to see if we can make it to (the state playoffs).”

Meanwhile, the North Hall girls have now won three consecutive Hall County titles for the first time in their history with perhaps the youngest roster coach Rodney House has had in his time there.

Jones, the only senior returning on the roster from last year, shot a tournament-low 37 on Tuesday to finish second, her highest-ever finish in the annual event.

“We only have a couple older players and the young girls really played well,” House said. “MaKayla played for us last year and learned a lot. She’s come back a little taller and really played a great round (today).

“A lot of the girls are really getting better with almost every round. It’s always great to win this. It’s one of the four things we Bucket List every year. It was really fun to see us do it with all the young players we have as well.”


INDIVIDUAL SCORES
Boys
1. Colin Henderson, North Hall, 68
2. Wiley Hickerson, Gainesville, 69
T3. Tanner Stephens, Lakeview Academy, 70
T3. Ryan Davidson, Gainesville, 70
T5. Brigham Ralston, Gainesville, 74
T5. Turner Edmondson, Gainesville, 74
T7. Caleb Vancil, Cherokee Bluff, 75
T7. Lake Whitmire, Chestatee, 75
9. JT Chester, North Hall, 76
10. Henry Kopydlowski, Gainesville, 77
T11. Bryce Horton, Cherokee Bluff, 78
T11. Chandler Lovell, Lakeview, 78

Girls
1. Alisa Pressley, Cherokee Bluff, 78
2. MaKayla Jones, North Hall, 81
3. Lillie Mallis, North Hall, 87
4. Taylor Bays, Flowery Branch, 96
5. Trinity Williams, West Hall, 107
T6. Maggie Banks, East Hall, 109
T6. Ella Wilson, North Hall, 109
T6. Rachel Lyons, Cherokee Bluff, 109


TEAM SCORES
Boys
1. Gainesville, 284
2. Cherokee Bluff, 304
3. North Hall, 316
4. Lakeview Academy, 323
5. Chestatee, 359
6, Flowery Branch, 369
7. West Hall, 423
8. Johnson, 464
9. East Hall, 475

Girls
1. North Hall, 277
2. Cherokee Bluff, 295
3. Flowery Branch, 324
4. West Hall, 347
5. East Hall, 352
6. Chestatee, 387
7. Johnson, DNF

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