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SILVER LAKES — Piedmont High School’s girls golf team advanced to the state tournament after a second-place finish at the Class 1A-3A sub-state tournament Monday at Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Silver Lakes.
“Just so happy for the girls. They’ve really worked hard,” Piedmont coach Horace Bramblett said. “The conditions of course were hot today; we haven’t played in a lot of hot weather. Just proud of the girls overcoming some bad things and being able to put it behind them.
“We talk about that a lot, being able to get yourself out of a locked room and come up with a good hole. That’s kind of what we encountered.”
The top two teams advanced to the state tournament next week in Auburn. The top two individual scorers also advanced.
The Bulldogs were runners-up behind Lindsay Lane with a plus-158. The Lions shot plus-50 to clinch the sub-state victory. Brookelyn Goss led the Bulldogs with a 104 that was good enough for a tie of eighth place in individuals.
“We’re excited because since I’ve been playing we’ve never went to state,” Goss said. “We’ve always been third in sub-state, so now we’ve actually made it, and we’re so excited. This is the best year for our girls golf. This is the best we’ve done in forever.”
The 2010 Piedmont girls team finished second in the state.
“Everybody knows this is a monster course,” Bramblett said. “It’s very difficult. It was set up difficult when we came out here Thursday, not as difficult today. Once again, I’m tickled to death and so proud of our girls.”
Weaver's Nick Ledbetter won the sub-state golf championship.
Preston Odam, The Anniston Star
Lindsay Lane’s Chloe Ruble shot a 78 to become the low medalist and help lead her squad to the sub-state victory.
Hokes Bluff seventh-grade standout Makayla Bearden advanced in individuals as well after shooting a 95. She placed sixth overall but scored well enough to advance.
“Today I didn’t even play that good,” Bearden said. “I don’t know how I made it, but as a seventh grader that’s really cool. I had a lot of things I could’ve done better today, my drive was off, and my putting, I missed like three-foot putts some, but I mean mentally I stayed focused.
“I kind of stayed just really strong towards the end, and I think that helped me. I try to not let things get in my head. I practiced like all week. It feels awesome.”
Weaver’s girls finished third overall behind Piedmont shooting plus-154.
On the boys side, Weaver’s Nick Ledbetter had another great round as he became the low medalist and advanced individually to the state tournament.
“It’s pretty sweet, man,” Ledbetter said. “Last year, I made it to state, but I didn’t win sub-state. This year I’ve won county, sectionals, and sub-state so far, so I’m trying to win all four of them which would be pretty big. It’s awesome going to the state tournament for the third year in a row.”
Hokes Bluff seventh-grade standout Makayla Bearden qualified for the state tournament.
Preston Odam, The Anniston Star
Ledbetter shot a 73 for a 1-over-par round that was tied with Lauderdale County’s Freddie McConnell. The two played a playoff hole on the ninth hole of the “heartbreaker course” that resulted in a par for Ledbetter to clinch the solo victory.
“I have a rough history on hole-9 heartbreaker,” Ledbetter said. “In playoff holes, I’ve now played a playoff hole on that hole three times this year and have won it one time. It’s pretty cool. They always say, ‘Third time’s a charm,’ so I guess they weren’t lying.”
This is the third tournament this season Ledbetter has had to compete in a playoff hole, but it is the first time he came out victorious.
“It’s almost like this whole season has led up to today,” Weaver coach Justin Brown said. “We’ve played two tournaments before today and we’ve been in a playoff each time, but we’ve lost in the playoffs. I told him as he headed to the tee-box on nine was, ‘Hey man, this is it.’ He told me, ‘Third time’s a charm, coach.’
“I never doubted it. Nick’s such an unbelievable kid, such an unbelievable player. We had goals coming into this year, we wanted to win county, sectionals, sub-state, and state. He’s three-for-three so far.”
Ledbetter is now going for the high school “grand slam” of sorts as he has won in the individuals of the Calhoun County tournament, sectional tournament, and the sub-state tournament. To round out the “grand slam,” he will need to win a state title next week.
McConnell ended the playoff with a triple-bogey, but made it to state as Lauderdale County cruised to the team victory. Westbrook Christian placed second with a 327 team score to advance as well. Eli Edge led Westbrook with a 74.
“I’m really proud of the way the team has played this year,” Ledbetter said. “We’ve improved almost every tournament, I believe. You can see that all the practicing they’ve been doing all year is starting to pay off even though we didn’t make it to the state tournament.
“They’ve improved and that’s all that matters.”
Weaver finished fourth overall. Weaver’s Jackson Williams finished tied for 18th with an 88.
"I’ve preached to the guys all week, I thought it would take a score of 325 to get in,” Brown said. “We knew Lauderdale County was going to be just absolutely too tough to beat. We knew it would come down to that second spot, and 327 actually got in.
“The way my guys have played this year, just to go from where Weaver was a few years ago, to where Weaver is now in the golf world, many people didn’t think was possible. The boys finished top five, and the girls too, they finished top three. There’s not much I can say. The kids do it, they work.”
Piedmont’s Alex Odam finished 22nd with a 92, while Conner Williams placed tied for 24th with a 95.
“This group of guys and girls have really worked hard to make Piedmont golf relevant,” Bramblett said. “Coach (Steve) Smith has really worked hard as athletic director with me to make Piedmont golf something besides ‘just golf.’ He told me when I took over, ‘As long as we have one kid playing golf, we’re going to have a golf team,’ so I appreciate him and these kids.”
