No. 2 MGCCC begins state title defense Saturday

There have been a lot of golf balls hit this season, 10 tournaments, countless practices rounds and time on the range. Trophies and plaques have been won and lost, ranking positions have been lost and gained

No. 2 Mississippi Gulf Coast begins a postseason march this weekend the Bulldogs hope will end at the national tournament. The 36-hole, two-day MACJC Championship will tee off early Saturday at Shiloh Ridge Athletic Club in Corinth.

"This is it," Gulf Coast coach Tommy Snell said. "All the season-long awards, the kids playing for rankings, but now this is the conference championship. We just love winning it."

Last year, the Bulldogs won their sixth state title since 2008 and will be looking to win their first back-to-back titles since a run of five straight ended in 2012. The top four teams plus Region 23 Tournament-host Northwest advance to Senatobia to play in that event, which starts April 25.

Only one team, plus five individual players, will advance to the NJCAA Division II Tournament in Plymouth, Ind.

Grant Motter, the defending medalist in this tournament, leads the five-man Gulf Coast team. He and Phillip Hickam finished second at last year's national tournament, where they played with George Kawell and finished third.

Freshmen Colin Troxler and Jonathon Newman round out the team, which was whittled down using season-long results and intrasquad qualifying.

"We're playing well," Snell said. "It's a very competitive team. Wyatt Adkison and Jonathon battled out for that last spot and it was close to the very end. Everybody seems to be in form right now. Everybody is working hard."

For more information on MGCCC's 10 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCAthletics on Twitter and BulldogLIVE on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.