WAYNESBORO — Pierce County’s Lady Bears collected their first tournament victory of the season here Saturday in the six-team Taylor-Made/Adidas Invitational played at the Waynesboro Country Club.
The team victory followed a March Tuesday, March 10 date at at Sea Palms on St. Simons Island.
The Lady Bears posted a 164 team score Saturday, March 14 to win by 10 strokes over Class 6A runner-up Grovetown (174). The field included Class 5A Effingham County (176), Class 2A host Burke County (184), Class 1A DI Toombs County (204) and Class 5A Lakeside-Evans (219).
“This tournament was a late addition to our schedule after Area 2-AA was changed to Waynesboro Country Club,” said head coach Stuart Stipe. “We used this as a glorified practice round for the Area Tournament in April.”
Grovetown’s Emma Brodrick led the 21 players comprising the field with a four-over-par round of 76.
PCHS’s Belle Sinclair (42-40; two birdies) and Brooke Dixon (41-41; birdie) each posted rounds of 82 to place second.
Mollie Kate Dixon (4241; birdie) and Kadence Hale (40-43; two birdies) tied for fourth with scores of 83. Morgan Hull (4843; two birdies) tied for ninth with a round of 91.
“The course requires discipline and course management to successfully navigate the many doglegs and water hazards,” said Stipe. “We learned some things this trip which we will apply to our next trip. Hopefully, by the time we play it in April, we will have a good understanding that will allow us to repeat as Area champions.
“We are excited about the win, but would trade this trophy for the Area 2AA Championship Trophy in a second.”
In the play date at Sea Palms, Mollie Kate Dixon posted a 39, Sinclair carded a 40, Brooke Dixon shot 42, Hale finished with a 46, Hull posted a 48, Rhyan Tompkins finished with a 51 and Grayson Harris shot 60.
Frederica Academy had several involved in a community event and were unable to play and no makeup date could be agreed on.
“Since we could not find a make-up date, we decided to go ahead and ‘worry about ourselves,’” said Stipe. “This was an opportunity to play a really nice course and get better.”
PCHS travels Thursday, March 19 to Osprey Cove for a three-way match with host Camden County and Glynn Academy.
