With a fifth place win Tuesday, the Paris Junior College golf team became Region XIV champions and qualified for the National Junior College Athletic Association tournament in Burlington, Iowa, May 13-16.
“I was really proud of the way the young men competed,” said PJC golf coach Dave Johnson. “It has been a goal of theirs all year to win regionals and advance to nationals.”
In the past two years, one PJC golfer qualified as an individual for the National event; it has been three years since a PJC team earned a spot in the tournament.
Tournament qualification was based on combined scores from the District II Championship played April 21-22 at Sugar Tree Golf Club in Dennis and the NJCAA Southwest Championship, played April 7-8 in Pottsboro. The District II Tournament involves junior colleges in Texas and New Mexico from NJCAA Regions V and XIV. All golfers played three rounds at each tournament, and both events combined determine region and district champions.
Zac Oliver of Checotah, Oklahoma, was the Region XIV medalist, finishing as the top golfer in the region. Oliver trailed the field by five shots going into the second day of the tournament but rallied and shot a three under par, 67, for a two-shot victory. He was also named to the All Region Team, and for finishing second overall in District play, earned All District honors as well.
Also named to the All Region Team were Jeremy Salas of Arlington, finishing third, and Tyler Dunbar of Lufkin, finishing fourth.
Other team members taking part in the two tournaments were freshmen Oliver Stephens of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada and Collin Thompson of Longview.
Team Scores
1. McLennan Community College, 278-284-286 (848)
2. Odessa College, 291-289-290 (870)
3. Midland College, 293-291-289 (873)
4. Western Texas College, 289-288-299 (876)
5. Paris Junior College, 289-299-297 (885)
6. Ranger College, 297-297-300 (894)
7. New Mexico Junior College, 300-288-314 (902)
8. Tyler Junior College, 307-300-308 (915)
9. Jacksonville College, 330-306-317 (953)
10. New Mexico Military Institute, 339-337-342 (1018)
Individual PJC Scores
Tied for Second: Zac Oliver, 71-74-67 (212)
Jeremy Salas, 70-80-75 (225)
Tyler Dunbar, 76-71-78 (225)
Oliver Stephens, 72-76-81 (229)
Collin Thompson, 84-78-77 (239)
Dragons golf head coach David Johnson was named NJCAA Region XIV coach of the year.