Evans teams head to state tournament
The Evans High School golf team will compete in the state golf tournament on Jekyll Island on Monday. Team members are: Adam McKenney (front row, from left), Allisin Kehoe, Kristen Bragg, Chrissy Price, Zac Lawless; Jeremy McDaniel (middle row, from left) Will Johnson, H.B. Chavous, Brandon Skinner, coach Mike Bibee; E.J. Evans (top row, from left) Ryan Penfield, Ben Hyman.
Special
The Evans High School boys and girls golf teams ended yet another season as Region 7-AAAAA champs.
Both teams will play at Jekyll Island in the AAAAA State Tournament on Monday in a one-day event. The boys will play 36 holes, while the girls will play 18 holes.
The tournament will have both boys and girls playing simultaneously on adjoining courses. The boys will play six holes and score the low four per round. They will combine their two rounds, totaling 36 holes, for the overall score.
In the past, state champions have scored about 590 as a team for the tournament.
The girls will play three holes and score the low two per round. The girls will combine their 18 holes, which totaled around 150 for last year's winners.
"The competition for boys and girls will be stiff, but we can compete if we play well," Evans golf coach Mike Bibee said. "All we can control is our own score, because there is no defense in golf."
To get ready for the tournament, Bibee is pitting his squad against another state tournament-bound team from Columbia County.
"To prepare for this year's state tournament, we have one more practice match against our arch rival Lakeside High School, who is also preparing for their AAAA state tournament," he said.
Statesboro High School barely edged out the Lakeside boys to secure the win at the Region 3-AAAA Golf Tournament in Waynesboro on April 30.
The Panthers shot only more point more than Statesboro with a 296, which still won them a spot in the state tournament Monday at Field's Ferry Golf Club in Calhoun, Ga.
Greenbrier boys posted a score of 300 for third place, but only the top two teams from a region tournament advance to state playoffs.
"This is one of the closest matches in many years with only a one-stroke difference between teams with two of the lowest team scores in recent years," tournament director and Burke County High School golf coach Wade Marchman said.
Statesboro girls won the tournament as well.
The Lakeside Lady Panthers tied Thomson for second with a 184 score and lost in sudden death.
Regardless of the state tournament outcome, Bibee foresees a return trip to state finals for Evans' golf teams.
"This year's (boys) team has no seniors, so the future seems bright even with our move into the new AAAAA region," Bibee said. "We look forward to the competition. This is the third trip in the last six years for Evans to compete at state."
The Knights are led by Adam McKenney, Will Johnson, Zac Lawless, Ben Hyman, Ryan Penfield, and H.B. Chavous. McKenney shot a par 72 at Gordon Lakes last week to win region medallist honors.
The girls team were the Region 7-AAAAA runner-up last year.
"In the seven years (that) girls golf has been a competitive sport in Georgia High School sports, Evans has qualified a ladies team for state competition six times," Bibee said. "This year the top lady golfer was senior Kristen Bragg."
Bragg has been the No. 1 golfer on the team since she was a freshman and has signed with Augusta State University on a golf scholarship this year.
Bragg also won low medallist honors for the Region 7-AAAAA for the second year in a row.
Her teammates this year are Allison Kehoe and Chrissy Price.