NATCHEZ &045; Last year Prairie View’s golf team fell just short of winning the Class AA South State Golf Championship, finishing one shot back to Presbyterian Christian.

Thanks to a 78 by senior Cole Johnson and a 79 by Heath Hines, the Spartans made sure they wouldn’t finish second two years in a row as they finished with a team score of 327 and a five-shot win over Brookhaven Academy Tuesday afternoon at Beau Pr Country Club.

The round of 78 by Johnson was the low round of the day. Hines was one of five players in the nine-team tournament to shoot a 79. The only player outside the top four teams to shoot a 79 was Brandon Wells of Adams Christian, who will also play in the MPSA Class AA State Tournament.

&uot;I could’ve done a lot better,&uot; Johnson said. &uot;I had a double bogey on my final hole (No. 16). I feel like I did pretty good. The course is playing pretty hard. This (winning South State) feels good. I felt like if all four guys played well we would win.&uot;

&uot;At Morehouse Country Club, we had the Spartan Invitational last Thursday and (Johnson) shot a 2-under 70,&uot; Churchwell said. &uot;Heath’s our ‘A’ player. He won State as an eighth-grader two years ago. He shot 1-under at Canton Country Club. The score I’m most proud of is the 83 out of Tyler Haynes.&uot;

The fourth player to lead Prairie View to its first-place finish was Brandon Hall, who shot an 87.

Led by senior Jeffery White, who shot a solid 79, Brookhaven Academy finished in second place at 332.

&uot;I played alright,&uot; White said. &uot;I had some bad holes and some good holes. I just have to play well and practice. I feel pretty confident.&uot;

Even though he started his round with a bogey, White had birdies on Nos. 6, 7 and 8 that were key to his score. Will Hodges and Garrett Jackson each had rounds of 84 and Hunter Wilson shot an impressive 85.

Cougars golf coach Barry Gray said his team achieved one of its goals by advancing to the State Tournament.

&uot;Now our goal is to get to Overall. Brookhaven’s never been to Overall in golf,&uot; Gray said. &uot;I was real pleased with Jeffery. I was real pleased with our No. 6 guy, Hunter Wilson. We’re looking forward to next Monday.&uot;

That’s because the State Tournament will be held at Brookhaven Country Club.

Columbia Academy, led by David Porter’s 79 and Adam Porter’s 81, finished in third place at 335. Dillon Barber shot an 86 and Colby Woodard had an 89.

Trinity Episcopal rounded out the top four teams with a team score of 341 and was led by Tripp Bryant, son of Tom Bryant, who shot a 79. Lee Jones had an 84 and Hayden Butts had an 86.

&uot;We didn’t do very well, but we qualified for State,&uot; Trinity golf coach Bub Mullins said. &uot;Tripp was my best player today. He has a world of potential. If he can just fine-tune it a tad, he can be good.&uot;

However, the Saints’ golf team had three players finish with the same score. Michael Scudiero, Jackson Bryant and Parker Jones each shot a 92. So what’s the solution to determine the fourth spot on the team for State?

&uot;I’ll make them play nine holes (at Beau Pr) one afternoon this week,&uot; Mullins said.