BLACKSHEAR — Ethan Arnold earned Area 2-AA medalist honors carding a two-over-par 74 leading three other PCHS teammates with rounds of 76 or better and the team title here at Lakeview Golf Club.
Arnold, a senior, fired nine-hole scores of 36-38 collecting four birdies during the Monday, April 28 event to win by one stroke in the field of 52 players over freshman teammate Bennett Puryear, who shot 36-39-75 carding four birdies.
Pierce County shot 301 to win the eight-team tournament by 24 shots over runner-up Burke County’s 325. Thomson grabbed the final state invite placing third with a 336.
The top three were followed by Appling County (352), Crisp County (373), Cook (378) and Davidson Fine Arts (409). Johnson of Augusta and Savannah Arts Academy each had two players with Laney of Augusta having one.
Joining PCHS, Burke County and Thomson at the Class AA two-day state tournament are Area 3’s Rockmart (322), Union County (340) and Sonoraville (346, and Area 4’s Drew Charter (335), Hart County (335) and Franklin County (339). Area 1 has not reported scores.
The tournament is being contested Monday, May 19 and Tuesday, May 20 at Bull Creek East Golf Course in Midland. Columbus is serving as host.
PCHS senior Samuel Ricketson shot 35-41-76 with two birdies and an eagle tying with sophomore teammate Justin Smith, who shot 39-37-76 with two birdies, and Crisp County’s Will Gordon for third.
Pierce County’s four rounds in the 70s was half of the total number of sub-80 rounds. The number of scores of 100 or better was 15.
Sophomore Griffin Hull posted 44-38-82 to finish 14th with Hardt Strickland shooting 42-42-84 to tie Burke County’s del Wade James.
