Special to the WJH 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.
PCHS’s Mollie Kate Dixon joined McConnell for the girls’ honor.
Pierce County’s runnerup boys’ team placed three players on the allstate team. Ethan Arnold, Bennett Puryear and Sam Ricketson were tabbed for the Class 2A squad.
Ware County’s Trace Carter was named to the Class 4A all-state team. The two-time Player of the Year was beaten out for the honor by Benedictine’s Bear Dollander.
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 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 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).
