Fair, 54°
Weather sponsored by:

Carroll, Jackson win district golf titles

By Randy Lefko
Posted 10/26/17

GAINESVILLE – Keystone Heights High freshman Camille Jackson and Middleburg High junior Cody Carroll came home with dramatic first place medals and district golf titles as area golfers will now …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Don't have an ID?


Print subscribers

If you're a print subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one.

Non-subscribers

Click here to see your options for subscribing.

Single day pass

You also have the option of purchasing 24 hours of access, for $1.00. Click here to purchase a single day pass.

Carroll, Jackson win district golf titles


Posted

GAINESVILLE – Keystone Heights High freshman Camille Jackson and Middleburg High junior Cody Carroll came home with dramatic first place medals and district golf titles as area golfers will now head to region golf championships this week for a shot at the state championships to be held Oct. 31-Nov. 8.

Carroll, the defending boys Class 2A champion in an overtime win last year in Leesburg, continued to amaze with his golf acumen despite breaking the shaft on his driver on the fifth hole at Eagle Harbor Country Club last week. Carroll maintained his focus despite not being able to hit the long ball for close chips to the green and won by a stroke with a 20 foot putt on the 18th hole.

Jackson, who has been unbeaten in tournament play all season while leading the Lady Indians to an 11-0 regular season slate, topped the district 6-1A field with a strong 78 score in Gainesville. Jackson, a Class 1A state tournament competitor last year, looks ready to improve on her 41st place finish from 2016.

The Lady Indians won their team title with four of five girls under 100 for the course with Candace Jackson at 82, Sloane Seibert at 89 and Savannah Heinz at 85. Ashton Ludwin shot 100 to complete the Keystone scoring at 334, well ahead of runnerup Oak Hall’s 401.

For the Keystone Heights boys, junior Wyatt Thomas qualified with a 72 score to lead the boys field.

At Eagle Harbor, Carroll’s win fueled a second 72 score from teammate Jack Carter, but the duo’s pace was not enough to upend district champion Bishop Kenny’s 303. Kenny scored three golfers at 74 with lead golfer Johnny Tucker nearly staying withing a stroke of Carroll for most of the tournament. Middleburg stayed at second with just four golfers with Brayden Home shooting 91 and Seth Higdon finishing at 158. Carroll is the defending district and region champion.

Also qualifying out of district 5-2A were Ridgeview’s Austin Kittle at 90 and Orange Park’s Cody Dettlebach at 94.

In the girls district 5-2A contest, Middleburg High’s girls defended their title with Class 2A state meet competitor Victoria Greene leading with a 96 for the Lady Broncos, but more impressively, senior Christina Behnken having one of her best rounds on the rugged course at Hidden Hills with a 97. Bishop Kenny junior Lacey Tucker, the defending district champion, again topped the field with a 74 card. Greene shot an 89 on the Hidden Hills course last year and responded with a 77 at regions at Blue Sky Golf Course in regions. Behnken shot 116 at Hidden Hills last year. Ridgeview, led by Alexis Byrd’s 111, finished third in team points with Orange Park’s duo of Harlee Sharp and Addyson Mauldin qualifying with scores of 104 and 129, respectively.

Down in Ocala, Fleming Island finished second in district 2-3A behind Ocala Forest led by transfer Peyton Billings who topped the field with a 71 with teammate Jacob Godwin also hitting 71 to finish second behind host Ocala Forest by just seven strokes; 292-305.

For Fleming Island, Tyler Broadus hit 78, Parker Miller hit 80 and John Goetze hit 85. Ocala Forest had all five scoring golfers under 80. Oakleaf High’s Braeden Thomas qualified with an 82.

In district 4-1A, with Bolles’ girls team top scoring with a 320 team score, St. Johns Country Day School got a 99 score from Sofia Pecoraro to take second with 471 to Bolles’ 320.

In the boys district 4-1A, St. Johns Country Day School’s boys, led by Justin Grogg’s 86, finished third with a 376 total behind Bolles’ 303 and Bishop Snyder’s 374. In district 6-2A: Clay got a top score of 71 from Arden Brake to finish third behind Ponte Vedra and Nease in a closely scored tournament with Ponte Vedra at 291, Nease at 303 and Clay at 310.

For the Clay girls, no golfers qualified for regions.