By Staff
FIRING AWAY MCC's Daniel Boles chips onto Briarwood's eighth green during the second day of the Region 23 Tournament. Boles was medalist in the event with a two-day score of 143. Photo by Carisa McCain/The Meridian Star
By Marty Stamper/ EMG sports assistant
April 25, 2002
The final round of the MACJC State/Region 23 Golf Tournament ended the way it began for Meridian Community College and Jones Junior College and that suited both just fine.
Meridian captured the Region 23 Division II championship by 21 strokes over second place Hinds. The MCC Eagles will advance to the NJCAA Division II National Tournament at Phoenix, Ariz., May 21-24 at Palm Valley Golf Club.
Jones won the Region 23 Division III championship by seven strokes over Copiah-Lincoln. Only individuals advance to the Division III National Tournament at Chautauqua, N.Y., June 3-6 as Region 23 does not have the six required teams to qualify its winning team.
Hinds nipped Gulf Coast by one stroke for the MACJC state championship.
Daniel Boles of Clarkdale shot an even-par 72 Wednesday and led MCC for the tournament with a two-day 1-under par 143.
In Wednesday's round, Boles had a triple bogey on No. 17. He also had an eagle on No. 15 to go with birdies on Nos. 5, 8, 12, and 18.
MCC's Josh Martin had a 76 Wednesday for a two-day 145. Clinton Hales had a 75 both days for a 150. Boles, Martin, and Hales each made the all-tournament team. The Eagles also got a two-day 157 from Brandon Laird and a 161 from Cameron Hunt.
MCC was the favorite entering the 36-hole tournament and lived up to expectations.
A steady breeze, along with mounting pressure, helped the scores rise for the most part.
MCC's 595 team total easily bettered Hinds' 616. Hinds got a 150 from Michael Granberry, a 152 from Dwayne Wooten, a 153 from Luke Jiminez, a 161 from Marko Matthews, and a 164 from Trey Crum. Granberry made the all-tournament team.
Gulf Coast finished third in Division II with a 617. Tyler Spruill led the Bulldogs with a 151. Tim McCabe had a 152, James Rentrop a 155, B.J. Stout a 159, and Robert Johnson a 164. Spruill made the all-tournament team.
Completing Division II were Itawamba (631), East Mississippi (646), Northeast Mississippi (647), Pearl River (659), and Holmes (685).
East Mississippi got a 154 from Devin Davis, a 159 from Matthew Downing, a 166 from Jon Luke Hazelwood, a 171 from Bo Blackledge, and a 173 from Hayes Rector.
Jones got a 156 from Jim Rasberry and a 160 from Nolan Green to take the Division III championship with a 639. Rasberry and Green both made the Division III all-tournament team. The Bobcats also got a 161 from Adam Napier, a 164 from Jacob Bynum, and a 173 from Matthew Hegwood.
Co-Lin shot a 646. Matt Mooney and Joey Young both made the all-tournament team with 160s. Jonathan Halley had a 164, Zach Baldwin a 165, and Chris Nations a 175.
East Central finished third with a 682. The Warriors got a 165 from Jeremy Stevens, a 169 from David Burt, a 173 from Kody Comans, and 179s from E.J. Bane and Zack Thames.
Northwest Mississippi completed Division III with a 711.
Southwest had only three golfers and competed only as individuals. Will Kemmel made the all-tournament team and will head to Chautauqua after shooting 158.
Note: The shot of the day belonged to East Central coach Timmy Coats who aced No. 13, a 135-yard par-3, with an 8-iron.