Gators’ Carter tabbed 4A all-state, Bears’ Arnold, Puryear, Ricketson are 2A all-state
Pierce County senior Mackenzie Connell was recently named the Class AA Girls’ Player of the Year by the Georgia High School Golf Coaches Association.
Connell, who captured her second medalist honor while leading the Lady Bears to a fourth consecutive state title, was one of six players from the Okefenokee area tabbed with state honors.
Ware County’s Trace Carter was named to the Class 4A allstate team. The two-time Player of the Year was beaten out for the 2025 honor by regionmate Benedictine’s Bear Dollander.
Pierce County’s runner-up boys’ team placed three players on the all-state team. Ethan Arnold, Bennett Puryear and Sam Ricketson were tabbed for the Class 2A squad.
PCHS’s Mollie Kate Dixon joined McConnell for the girls’ honor.
Nominations were gathered from coaches around the state and chosen by a panel of coaches within each classification.
The GHSGCA was founded in 1995 and works within the framework of the GHSA and Georgia Athletic Coaches Association to support and promote high school golf in Georgia.
Class 4A boys Player of the Year Bear Dollander Benedictine Team: Trace Carter (Ware County), Blake Goodroe (Madison County), Cole Stockard (Dalton), Josh Durhaler (Blessed Trinity), Andrew Lutjens (Cartersville), Bodie Bromlow (Cartersville), Zach Wiley (North Oconee).
Honorable Mention
Cole Rosich (North Oconee), Gates Glanton (Harris County), Brooks Cass (North Oconee), Bo Cary (Westminster).
Class 2A boys Player of the Year Brooks Urquhart Columbus Team: Ethan Arnold (Pierce County), Bennett Puryear (Pierce County), Sam Ricketson (Pierce County), Monty Thakur (Columbus), Jay Patel (Columbus), Will Gordon (Crisp County), Preston Johnston (Jackson),
Honorable Mention
Hayden Price (Union County), Ethan Pham (Columbus).
Class 2A girls Player of the Year Mackenzie Connell Pierce County Team: Mollie Kate Dixon (Pierce County), Maya Lilja-Vasquez (Savannah Arts), Emma Shiflet (Hart County), Emily Minish (Franklin County), Bailey Mitchell (Morgan County), Hailey Westmoreland (Morgan County), Larkin Woods (Coahulla Creek).
Honorable Mention
Moriah Mim (Appling County), Lainey Addison (Stephens County).
Class 6A boys Player of the Year Ledger Conley Richmond Hill Class 6A girls Player of the Year Athena Yoo Lambert Class 5A boys Player of the Year William Long Milton Class 5A girls Player of the Year Aanya Vantipalli Milton Class 4A girls Player of the Year Elizabeth Sullivan St. Pius Class 3A boys Player of the Year Braceton Beasley West Laurens Class 3A girls Player of the Year Alisa Pressley Cherokee Bluff Class A Division I boys Player of the Year Colton Lewis Swainsboro Class A Division I girls Player of the Year Georgia Womack Model Class A Division II boys Player of the Year Luke Hylton Brooks County Class A Division II girls Player of the Year Lili Nelson Lake Oconee Academy Class 1-3A Private boys Player of the Year Evan Rogers Hebron Christian Class 1-3A Private girls Player of the Year Claire Bradford Prince Ave. Christian
