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Aubrey Free was part of the Lady Warriors' state title team last season. (Photo/Mark Turner)
The high school golf season is in full swing for the White County High School squads.
The golf program has had some big time highlights over the past decade on both the girls and boys side, capped off last spring with the Lady Warriors winning the Class AAA title.
Darrell Dorsey guided the Lady Warriors to the state championship last spring, and this season takes on the added responsibility of coaching the boy's team as well. Both of the teams are going through
a bit of a rebuilding process, as the teams lost several key players to graduation.
Members of the girl's golf team are Ansley Brown, Lauren Nelson, Layne Graham, Aubrey Free, BilliKayl Allison, and Cameron Kimsey.
“I'm really excited about this group,” Dorsey said. “We've been spoiled the last six or seven years with girls like Caroline and Catie (Craig), Erin (Dorsey), and Rylee (Adams). The list goes on and on. This group doesn't have lot of experience, but with the way they play and the work they put in, I think they can do some of the same stuff over the next few years, have some of the same kind of success.”
Free was part of the Lady Warriors' lineup last year as a freshman, playing in several big tournaments. Free and Brown are both sophomores, with Nelson, Graham, Allison and Kimsey all making their high school debuts as freshmen.
“Aubrey is definitely our most experienced player,” Dorsey said. “Aubrey and Ansley are sophomores, and our other girls are freshmen. All of the girls have done a good job so far. Aubrey had a career-best 39 in a win over North Hall, Gainesville, and Hart County, and Cameron had her best round of 39 last week.”
Dorsey is in his first year as the boy's head coach after Patrick Lowendick stepped down following the 2021 season. The boy's roster is also young and inexperienced.
Members of the boy's golf team are seniors Sam St. Clair and Caden Crumley, juniors Aidan Black and David Hilt, sophomores Logan Schindler, Blake Gailey, Ollie Freeman, Hunter Luce, Carson Smith, and freshmen Griffin Harper, Gage Allen, and Mason Autry.
St. Clair, Schlinder, Hilt, Black, Luce, and Gailey all were part of the team last year with Schindler having the most experience.
“Logan has been solid for us and he's been our No. 1 player so far,” Dorsey said. “We've had a lot of guys in and out of the lineup so far this season. Sam and Caden are our senior leaders, and Mason, Hunter, David, Aiden, Ollie, Carson, and Griffin have all been in the varsity lineup at different times. All of these guys on the team are working hard and getting better every day.”
Both of the WCHS teams have played various events through the first month of the season, including competing in the Longhorn Invitational at TPC Sugarloaf Golf Club, which has been a longtime host for various PGA and LPGA tour events. The Lady Warriors also took part in the Glynn Academy Ryder Cup in Jekyll Island.
“Getting a chance to play at Sugarloaf was a wonderful opportunity for our players,” Dorsey said. “We can't just walk in off the street and play that course. The girls played at Jekyll Island and the boy's have played at Achasta, so these players are getting a chance to play on some great courses.”
The WCHS teams will get busier as the spring weather starts to heat up, culminating in the area and state tournaments. The Warriors head to Clarkesville next week for the Apple Mountain Invitational on March 30. The Lady Warriors host the 15th annual Spring Swing on April 16 at Apple Mountain Golf Course.
The 7-AAA Area tournament will also be held for both teams on Tuesday, April 25, with the state tournaments second for May 15-17.