Effingham County High girls golf team earns sectional title, plays at state tournament
RINCON — Natalie Altman couldn’t take her eyes off her phone as she rode home with her parents from Carrollton on May 2.
The Effingham County High School freshman knew her golf team had played well collectively, but how well? Three teams’ scores still needed to be posted in the sectional tournament when the girls left the Oak Mountain Golf Club.
“When I saw we were in first, I called (teammate Logan McCrae on the team bus). 'Have you looked at (the leaderboard)?' All of a sudden, I heard everybody screaming on the bus,” Altman said.
The Rebels won by eight shots over second-place Cambridge in the eight-team field and earned a spot in the GHSA Class 6A state girls golf championships on May 16-17 at Jekyll Island Golf Club.
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Consistency was the key for ECHS, which had three girls finish in the top 10 at sectionals – McCrae (94, sixth), Altman (95, seventh) and April Moss (99, ninth).
Olivia Lott shot a 111 and Amelia Uzupan had a 120. The top three count toward the team score, which for the Rebels was a 288.
“When you’re competing against Atlanta schools, it’s really competitive,” ECHS coach Henry Dickerson said. “Our young ladies really enjoyed the course (in Carrollton). It took their eye. Our practice round went great (the day before sectionals). I’ve never seen the girls so relaxed.”
The team struggled at the Area championships in Warner Robins and finished fourth. The top two teams at the Area tournament automatically qualified for state. Teams finishing third and fourth went to sectionals and had another chance to earn a spot at state by placing among the top four.
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For Altman, it’s been a whirlwind of fun and accomplishments. The ECHS girls won the county championship — dubbed by Dickerson, "The Pine Cone Memorial Championship" — by two strokes over rival South Effingham at Lost Plantation Golf Club.
The Rebels squad won sectionals and will be hoping for a high finish at state.
“When you come on to the high school team, you’re playing with people who are focused on having fun but winning, too. It was great to help the team,” said Altman, who has been playing golf since fourth grade.
It’s understandable how she started so young. Altman is the granddaughter of Ole Miss legend Junie Hovious, who was an assistant football coach for the university for 29 years and the school’s golf coach for 25 years.
Hovious played football, baseball and basketball at Ole Miss from 1939-41 and one year of professional football with the New York Giants.
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“We have a great group,” said Dickerson, who has coached golf at ECHS for nine years, seven as head coach. “Logan (McCrae) and Amelia (Uzupan) will be enrolled at Georgia Southern, April (Moss) is going to Wake Forest.”
Altman and Lott, a sophomore, will be the nucleus of the team next season with a strong group coming from the county’s middle schools.
“I’m very excited about the (boys and girls) talent coming through,” Dickerson said. “I think we’re in a good place for the future.”
Class 6A girls state results May 16-17 at Jekyll Island Golf Club's Indian Mound Course
Teams — 4. Richmond Hill +94, 11. Effingham County +159
ECHS golfers — 15. Logan McCrae 82-88, +26; 43. April Moss 99-115, Natalie Altman 113-101, +70; T51. Amelia Uzupan 121-108, +85; 54. Olivia Lott 117-119, +128.
Richmond Hill golfers — 1. Hannah Barrett 74-76, +6; T13. Sofia Raye 86-82, +24; 42. Tatum Wood 115-98, +64; Sabrina Singh NC (illness)/99.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Effingham County High School girls golf Georgia sectional winner
