Round 2 rallies not enough as West Laurens boys take third, girls 11th at state golf tournament

After a somewhat bumpy start to this week’s AAA state tournament, the West Laurens boys made a nice Tuesday charge to climb back up the leaderboard and put some heat on the frontrunners in their second and final round. 

But despite finding their groove when it counted, the Raiders would ultimately come up four strokes short of a chance to go back-to-back, salvaging third place as LaGrange – to avenge its defeat at their hands on this same home course a year ago – came out on top to win a third state crown in its program history. 

“We had a chance at the end, it just didn’t go our way,” said West Laurens head coach Whitney Alligood. 

The Grangers were back at Highland Country Club with some unfinished business after the Raiders and North Hall joined in spoiling their title aspirations, and adding one more year to a three quarter-century championship drought, this time last spring. 

Their intent on ending it was made clear in a red-hot opening round Monday. 

The LaGrange top four combined for a score of 305 that led the pack over the first 18, with an advantage of five shots over next-closest contender Richmond Academy and a fairly massive 12 strokes of separation with both West Laurens and Oconee County, whose identical 317s would tie for third. 

The Raiders rebounded in impressive fashion on Tuesday to post a 305 of their own – the best score by any team on the day – that beat LaGrange by eight, and the Musketeers by four. But it wouldn’t be quite enough to make up the earlier deficit on either opponent. 

“Monday, we dug ourself a little hole. We weren’t as sharp as we needed to be,” Alligood said. “Tuesday, we competed and played a lot better. We showed a ton of heart and determination to get back in the fight. If we could have made a few more putts, we may have pulled it out.” 

The second round, by contrast, wasn’t nearly as strong as Monday’s performance for the Grangers, who had to rely on a par save by medalist Saxon Chastain with the tournament’s final putt on the 18th to clinch their single-stroke victory. 

ARC, with a minuscule disparity between rounds of 310 and 309 that made it the most consistent squad in the field of 12, was right there with the hosts all afternoon, and actually pulled past them into the lead late in the day. 

But the Grangers, trailing three with a few holes left, held serve on their way into the clubhouse as the Musketeers suffered some hiccups and gave up the vital ground. The 313 score helped LaGrange reemerge on top with a total of 618 for the tournament, and its first boys golf state championship since the second of back-to-back in 1949 and 1950. 

West Laurens’ 622 placed it three shots behind the Muskies (619) in third. Oconee was fourth with a total 631, and North Hall fifth with 636. 

Sophomore Braceton Beasley made another outstanding showing at the track he mastered to win last year’s low medalist honors, leading the way with a five-over-par 149 and the Raiders’ best round (75, 74) both afternoons, to finish overall runner-up to Chastain. 

“Braceton is a beast,” Alligood said of the team’s season-long scoring leader. “He brings it every tournament.” 

Keith Howell finished 10th overall among individuals, shooting 156. Brody Graham finished 11th with a 157. Wade Martin 15th with a 160, Will Tribble 30th at 165 and Jake Harden 46th, carding 169.  

While West’s overall finish was a bit south of last year’s on top of the state, this team still finishes the year, statistically, as one of the most successful in program history with impressive numbers across the board, including scoring averages of 144 per match and 303 in tournaments, that rated in the best in Alligood’s 12 seasons as coach. 

“2026 was a great year, winning a couple of big tournaments, an area championship and (placing) third in state,” Alligood said. “Hats off to LaGrange, Their coaches and players had a great tournament.” 

The West Laurens girls would place 11th in the tournament with their two-day total of 439. 

Tuesday also saw a resurgence for the Lady Raiders, who had joined Mary Persons in bringing up the rear with scores of 235 after day 1.

Both Valley Stewart, finishing up 27th overall with a 218, and Bailey Jean Logan, who shot 221 for 30th, made improvements of 15-plus strokes on the second go-round to finish strong as the Lady Raiders came within two of overtaking Harlem for 10th. 

Calhoun, maintaining a three-stroke advantage with its final score of 359, would clinch the girls state title. 

“Our girls are so tough,” Alligood said. “Valley and Bailey Jean did so much better on day 2. They are two awesome young ladies. I am very proud of how they played.”