Rain shortens championship at Fighting Joe course
FORD CITY – Two championship win streaks came to an end at the AHSAA State Golf Tournament Tuesday, and now Haleyville, with three state Class 4A titles, owns the longest current state title win streak.
Haleyville, a small community in Northwest Alabama that is known best for becoming the first town in the country to implement the 9-1-1 emergency call system, now is home to the three-time state champion Lions boys high school golf team.
Late Tuesday, the Lions celebrated their third straight title in what turned out to be a rain-shortened state tournament. After Haleyville opened a 12-shot lead in the first round, the tournament was called off with two groups remaining on the course as a thunderstorm swept through the area.
Hudson Lawson, a junior who has been part of all three state championships, said while some people in the community might not fully appreciate the significance of the streak, others do.
“I think it means a lot,” he said. “It kind of puts us on the map.”
The Lions shot 290 in the first round to beat Jackson by 12 shots. Lawson’s 5-under-par 67 earned medalist honors on the Fighting Joe course on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at the Shoals.
Although the championship is a 36-hole event, AHSAA officials shortened the second round to nine holes due to the threat of severe weather. The decision proved correct when the predicted bad weather arrived. Play was suspended play at 3:31 p.m. Only two groups were left on the course, both on the final hole. But the rain never subsided and officials declared Haleyville the champion.
Spain Park captured the 7A title, snapping Vestavia Hills’ string of three straight titles. Spain Park’s Chase Kyes, who shot 5-under, captured medalist honors.
Homewood took the 6A title in a division that featured the best battle for medalist honors. Jack Lowery shot 8-under 64 in the first round and 4-under in the second round to finish 12-under. That edged Cullman’s Ben Shedd by one shot.
Randolph (5A) and Westbrook Christian (3A) captured their second straight team titles, while North Sand Mountain prevailed in 1A-2A.Elba’s Jay Wilson shot 5-under 103 to win the 1A-2A title, while Northside Christian’s Mason Crowder (108) took the 3A title. West Point’s Bailey Sutter finished at 108 to claim the 5A individual title.
In the girls 6A tournament, Pike Road won its third consecutive state title by eight shots over Spanish Fort. Athens’ Ayden Pike and Pike Road’s Beka Yang tied for medalist honors at even par 108.
Led by Frances Brow, who shot 10-under, UMS-Wright won the 7A title by four shots over Hewitt-Trussville.
Alexandria captured the 4A-5A crown and Tuscaloosa Academy won its second straight 1A-3A title. Julie Waldo (105) of Alabama Christian was medalist in 1A-3A and Hayden’s Polly Kate McCrackin (111) won the 4A-5A title.
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Featured image of the Pike Road girls golf team courtesy of the AHSAA
