Carter denied in quest for third consecutive low medalist crown
ACWORTH — Senior Trace Carter’s bid for a third consecutive low medalist honor came up short here at the Class 4A state tournament held at the Governors Towne Club.
Carter, who was the Class 5A medalist in 2023 and 2024, posted five-under-par after shooting 67-72-139 (nine birdies) to finish fourth, five shots behind Benedictine’s Bear Dollander in the field of 82 golfers. The sophomore carved out rounds of 66-68134.
Dollander and Carter were two of nine players shooting under par. Madison County’s Lake Goodroe and Dalton’s Cole Stockard tied for second at sixunder (138), Blessed Trinity’s Josh Durthaler finished fourunder (140), Allatoona’s Jacob Best and Cartersville’s Bodie Brumlow were three-under (141), North Oconee’s Zach Wiley finished two-under (142) and Marist’s Brooks Adams shot one-under (43).
Cartersville’s Noah Pogue and Andrew Lutjens were at even-par (144).
Carter’s second round evenpar 72 was his highest score over six rounds in three state finals. He posted 68-71-139 to win the title as a sophomore. Carter set the all-time state mark last year with a blistering 14-under-par score after rounds of 64-66-130.
Dollander’s win also ended Ware County’s streak of three consecutive low medalists. Lee Smith won the 2022 title shooting 71-68-139.
Ben Newton was the first Gator state medalist in 1994.
Waycross High School also had three low medalist with Eddie Johnson (1949), Boog Powell (1957, 1959) and Al Tyre (1964).
Cartersville unseated North Oconee, winners in three of the last four Class 4A finals, by three shots for its first title since three-peating from 2000-02. The Hurricanes (champions in 1967, 1990 and 1997) shot fourunder- par scoring 284-288572. The Titans shot 284-291-575.
The top two teams were followed by Benedictine (291-293583), Allatoona (299-289-588), Marist (304-301-605), Dalton (298-311-609), Blessed Trinity (301-312-613), Starr’s Mill (311312-623), Ware County (299324-623), Harris County (309-314-623), Westminster (308-315-623) and Midtown (314-314-628).
The Gators’ 299 team score in the first round had them fifth in the 12-team field trailing Cartersville and North Oconee’s 284, BC’s 291 and Dalton’s 298. Carter’s 67 was joined by Asher Dean’s 74, Jackson Ray’s 78 and Brody Martin’s 80.
Dean, a junior, went on to post 74-82-156 (two birdies) to finish in a fourway tie for 35th. He was joined by Westminster’s Jake Kelcher and Midtown’s Jack Tobias and Duncan Smith.
Martin, a junior, finished tied for 51st with Midtown’s Carter Klein after shooting 80-81-161 (three birdies).
Ray, also a junior, posted a solo 61st finish shooting 78-91-169 (two birdies).
Senior Eli Taft carded rounds of 88-89-177 (two birdies) tying Harris County’s Hudson Hajek for 70th.
Lucas Tuten shot 91-98189 (two birides) for a solo 72nd-place finish.
Girls’ 4A
North Oconee recorded its fifth consecutive Class 4A state title overtaking first round leader St. Pius X at Bentwater Golf Club in Acworth.
North Oconee (492) and St. Piux X (495) were the only two schools in the 12-team field to shoot sub-500 team scores.
Elizabeth Sullivan of St. Pius X posted 74-77-151 to capture medalist honors.
Ware County’s Anniston Grantham placed 14th with rounds of 83-88-171 (two birdies). She qualified for the state tournament with an 83 at the 4A sectional.
The Lady Gators missed the finals after placing fifth at the Sectional, 10 shots out of third place trailing qualifiers North Oconee (241), Blessed Trinity (253), Harris County (262) and Marist (262).
