NATCHEZ — Cathedral School and Natchez High School joined forces Thursday to prepare their golfers for upcoming region tournaments.

The two schools hosted the Natchez/Cathedral Invitational Tournament at Duncan Park, and although St. Aloysius went home with the title, Natchez coach Jerry Baldwin said his team got some valuable course time.

“We played good considering we played two ninth graders, and it was their first time to play varsity,” Baldwin said. “It wasn’t disappointing.”

Baldwin said the Bulldogs were short-handed Thursday, because two senior golfers, Jonathan Weir and Trey Hill, were on their senior trip.

Cathedral head coach Kurt Russ said his team is very young this season with two seventh graders, two eighth graders and two ninth graders. Russ said Thursday’s tournament was a good opportunity for his players to play in a region-tournament-style event.

“It’s good to get out playing and get used to playing 18 holes,” he said. “We are making improvements, and this has been a good learning experience.”

The top individual performer at the tournament was Loyd Star’s Will Lee. Lee finished with a 72 and said it is his best score at Duncan Park.

“I am getting used to it I guess,” he said.

Lee said Thursday’s win was his third of the season, and it is a boost going into the postseason.

“It feels good to shoot a good score, and it feels good going into (region),” he said.

Cathedral’s Chandler Russ finished first on the girls’ side with a nine-hole score of 55.

“It was not my best score, but I did the best I could today,” she said. “I hit some good shots, but I wasn’t lined up right. I’m still learning the game and taking it step by step.”

Russ said she has only played golf for a year, and she also participated for the Cathedral track and field team Wednesday, which left her a little tired for the golf tournament Thursday.

Russ said she looks forward to competing in the MHSAA Region 3-1A tournament today.

“It will definitely be a challenge,” she said. “There are a lot of good teams coming to (region). I will be proud of whatever we do tomorrow.”

Natchez’s top shooter of the day was Rod Lewis, who finished with a 96. Autry Clayton finished one stroke behind his teammate.

“It was not my best, but I’ll take it,” Clayton said about his round.

Clayton needs to work on putting and his bunker play before Tuesday’s Region 3-6A tournament, which he is looking forward to, he said.

“It feels nice bringing teams from the (region) together,” he said. “We get to meet people and build relationships with guys from other teams.”

Natchez sophomore Rondall Hawkins said his performance Thursday will help him prepare for region.

“It just lets me know what I need to work on,” he said.

Hawkins finished with a 100.

Kurt Russ said the Cathedral boys would play in the region tournament Monday, and he expects St. Al to be the favorites in that tournament as well.

Lawrence County finished second in Thursday’s boys’ tournament with a score of 339. Loyd Star came in third, Terry High School finished fourth, Natchez was fifth and Cathedral sixth.

Cathedral was the only school with a full girls’ team at the event, but Natchez High’s J’Briana Prater competed and shot 60.