A trio of Muscle Shoals girls’ golfers and two each from boys teams at Brooks, White Plains and Houston Academy highlight the North-South All-Star golf rosters released this week.
Riya Key, Fallon Craigge and Madison Craigge of Muscle Shoals were named to the North team, according to a release from the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association.
Brooks golfers Zach Ashley and Justin Olive, along with White Plains’ Kenneth Okins and Gage Miller, lead the North boys team. Houston Academy’s Matthew Streitman and Alan McDonald head the South boys roster.
Rising high school juniors comprise the two 10-person North-South All-star Golf rosters for matches that were scheduled for the annual All-Star Week festivities in Montgomery in July. However, those events have been canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Rosters were selected from nominations received from Alabama High School Athletic Association member school golf coaches.
“We are proud to announce these teams even though we are disappointed that the All-Star competition set for the All-Star Sports Week this summer has been canceled,” said Jamie Lee, the AHSADCA’s executive director in announcing the North-South All-star Golf rosters.
“Nonetheless, these 40 individual players earned this recognition and will be receiving certificates from the AHSADCA for their selection to these prestigious squads.”
Golf squad coaches include: (North Girls) Jason Pierce, Glencoe; Emily Stapler, Arab; (North Boys) Chris Randall, White Plains; Chad Gladden, Hartselle; Derrick Gargis, Muscle Shoals (administrative coach); (South Girls) Rex Bynum. Enterprise; Adam Byrd, Auburn; (South Boys) Matt Wicker, Elba; Alex Davis, Smiths Station.
Heading the South girls will be Lauren Thompson of Providence Christian, the defending Class 1A/3A individual girls’ state champion. Other South girls team members are Brooke Rachel (Mobile Christian), Miriam McCoy (Bayside Academy), Hannah Keel (Daphne), Maleah King (Davidson), Elizabeth Gottlieb and Meghan Stein (McGill-Toolen), Hannah Dees (Fairhope) and Morgan Jones (Auburn).
South boys team members in addition to the Houston Academy players are: Will Middleton (Bayside Academy), John Wilson (Elba), Nathan King (Citronelle), Tyler Bjorgum (Gulf Shores), Brady Wood (Enterprise), Tucker Crowson (Central-Phoenix City) and Luke Holmes (Auburn).
In addition to the Muscle Shoals trio, the North girls’ team features Erika Allen of 2019 Class 4A/5A state runner-up Northside. Other team members include Robyn Blakey (Leeds), Erika Allen (Northside), Hailey Remick and Julia Freeman (Hoover), Brileigh Roberts and Lauren Lawson (Fairview) and Reagan Malone (Arab).
Other North boys team members are Eric Boutwell (Russellville), Paul Bruce (Guntersville), Ryley Heath (Hartselle), Brooks McKeller (James Clemens), Cole Davidson (Hewitt-Trussville) and Jackson Bowman (Westbrook Christian).
The North-South golf competition was held for the first time in 2019 with the North sweeping the South in match play. The North girls posted a 58.5-55.5 victory. The North boys won 63.5-50.5.
Gregg Dewalt is the editor of Alabama Golf News. Reach him at TeeTimesGregg@gmail.com.
Featured image collage: Dan Vukelich
