Thursday sports: Patriot golfers head to college fairways
Photo: Seated from left are signees Connor Shurden (Hinds CC), Ayers Mathis (Meridian CC), and Drew Groscost (Jones College). They were joined by (standing from left) athletic director Rusty Cagle, golf coach Adam Payne, and principal Kris Perkins. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Three members of the Lewisburg High School golf team Thursday morning signed to college golf next season on the Mississippi junior college circuit.
Drew Groscost, the number one-rated senior in the state of Mississippi with a stroke average for the year of 73.3 for 18 holes, signed to play at Jones College next year. Connor Shurden and Ayers Mathis, both of whom earned medalist honors at tournaments this season, also signed for state community colleges. Shurden will play at Hinds Community College and Mathis will join the Meridian Community College roster.
“These three young men have worked really hard over the last several years,” said golf coach Adam Payne. “They were always a great representative of their family, their team and our school. I’m sure they’ll make their schools come back here and recruit other players from this area because of their character.”
Payne said he expects the three will move into a higher level of college golf once their two years in junior college are finished.
“I don’t think this will be their last landing spot,” Payne said. “I think they will go another two years somewhere else.”
Payne was especially high on the character of all three seniors.
“You can always replace players but it’s hard to replace players that have great attitudes, who work hard and show up wanting to push each other,” the Lewisburg coach said. “Not only did they push themselves but they pushed their teammates and that will be hard to replace.”
Lewisburg finished in fifth place in the 7A state golf meet this fall, 47 shots behind state team champion Madison Central.
SPORTS ETC.: Kiersten McGarrity of two-time state volleyball (5A and 6A) champion Lake Cormorant Thursday signed to play next season at Northeast Mississippi Community College.
Northpoint Christian School soccer player Eli Bailey has committed to Delta State for soccer next season
SCOREBOARD
Thursday, Nov. 30
Prep boys basketball
Hernando 88, New Albany 73
Oxford 52, DeSoto Central 46
Northpoint Christian 81, Marvell Academy, Ark. 35
- Northpoint scoring leaders: Ayden Kelly 15 points, Manny Paulin 12.
Prep girls basketball
Hernando 71, New Albany 28
- Hernando scoring leaders: Fran Kelly 31 points
Oxford 32, DeSoto Central 31
Center Hill 76, Hutchison School, Tenn, 64
- Center Hill scoring leaders: Jairya Rankins 24 points, Zarria Shipp 20.
Northpoint Christian 58, Manvell Academy, Ark. 37
Prep boys soccer
Hernando 2, DeSoto Central 0
Lake Cormorant 3, Grenada 1
- Luis Cano scored all three goals for Lake Cormorant in the victory.
Oxford 2, Southaven 1
Prep girls soccer
Hernando 1, DeSoto Central 0
Grenada 2, Lake Cormorant 0
JUCO men’s basketball
Northwest CC 72, Mississippi Delta 56
JUCO women’s basketball
Northwest CC 101, Blue Mountain Christian JV 49
Prep wrestling
Lewisburg, Center Hill at North Pontotoc quad dual
- Lewisburg 69, Center Hill 8
- Center Hill 60, South Panola 12
- Lewisburg 78, South Panola 3
- North Pontotoc 51, Lewisburg 25
- North Pontotoc 65, Center Hill 12
