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The LaGrange High golf team made strides this past weekend in their first tournament of the year at the Camden Classic in St. Mary’s. The Grangers went toe to toe with 20 other teams and ended up finishing in 11th place. 

“We are young this year,” LaGrange coach Ben Thrasher said. “Of the six guys we took with us this year, three were freshmen. I was very proud of the way we went out and performed. We shot a 320, which was five strokes better than any score we shot last year.” 

It was more than a trial run for the Grangers who knocked on the door of the top-10 this past weekend. LaGrange shot a 320, which was just a handful of strokes behind (T7) Camden County (314), (T7) Tift County (314), (9) Pierce County (315), and (10) Ware County (316). Thrasher said it was a goal to finish in the top-10, but he was happy with the final results he got from his team. The field was tough with most of the teams coming from bigger schools than LaGrange with the only other AAAA school in the tournament being Benedictine, which is a private school. 

“We were playing against a lot of bigger schools,” Thrasher said. “There were a lot of 6A and 7A schools.”

The four Grangers that added up to 320 were Saxon Chastain – 72, Ben Woodham – 79, Jackson Dennis – 82, Ty Ormsby – 87. Chastain had an especially impressive performance in his first tournament as a high schooler.

“Saxon is our number one player, and he finished 10th individually with an even score of 72,” Thrasher said. “He played really well and shot three under on the front (nine). I’m really proud to see how he handled himself in his first high school tournament.”

The Grangers were also without one of their best golfers from a season ago — sophomore Grady Westmoreland — as he splits time with baseball during this time of the year.

The trick is to now build off this and take some momentum into future tournaments this year and make sure this is not a one off performance.   

“We went down there and were introduced to some really high level south Georgia golfers,” Thrasher said. “It was a litmus test to see where we need to get to to compete at a state level, and I think our guys get that.” 

The final results of the Camden Classic were:

      1. Wayne Co. (282)

2. Glynn Academy (293)
3. Frederica Academy (294)
4. Benedictine (299)
5. Richmond Hill (303)
6. Colquitt Co. (306)

     T7. Camden County (314)

      T7. Tift County (314)

9. Pierce County (315)
10. Ware County (316)
11. LaGrange (320)
12. Benedictine B (323)
13. Coffee County (326)
14. Brunswick (348)
15. Glynn Academy B (352)
16. Richmond Hill B (377)
17. Valdosta (387)
18. LaGrange B (391)
19. Effingham County (411)
20. Camden B (423)
21. Frederica B (DNF)

The Grangers will be right back at it next weekend when they travel to Cordele for another tournament. LaGrange will host the Grangers Shootout on March 13.