Nail-biter No. 9: MGCCC wins another region crown
No. 2 Mississippi Gulf Coast won its ninth straight NJCAA Region 23 championship Tuesday in Senatobia, but it's never been a tighter squeeze.
The Bulldogs saw a six-shot first-round lead over Meridian evaporate at Back Acres Country Club, but were two shots better on the sudden-death playoff hole to claim the title.
"Nine in a row," Gulf Coast coach Tommy Snell said. "It's a pretty cool feeling, but nothing's ever easy."
Gulf Coast matched its first-round score of 11-over, with Meridian shooting 5-over on the second day to make up the ground.
The teams divided into two groups of five to play hole No. 1. Gulf Coast had played it at 1-under the first time, but Colin Troxler, Phillip Hickam and Grant Motter were on the green in two shots the second time around.
"We hit on the green and knew one of us would make eagle putt, and it just happened to be me," said Troxler, who made an 8-footer. "We got out of there 4-under and we felt confident after that."
Hickam and Motter birdied it, giving Gulf Coast the advantage after two Meridian birdies.
"We were going to nationals," Motter said. "We wanted to get Coach Snell his ninth in a row. We were going, no matter what. We all three went out and did what we needed to do."
When George Kawell and Jonathon Newman made par in the second group, Meridian managed only two pars and a bogey, and the trip to Indiana was clinched.
Gulf Coast advances to the NJCAA Division II Tournament in Plymouth, Ind., to be played May 24-27. The Bulldogs have finished third the last two trips to the national tournament.
In the individual standings, Motter finished in a tie for second, two shots off Copiah-Lincoln's Philip Heine who shot even-par. Troxler also made the All-Region Team, finishing in fifth at 3-over.
Hickam shot 7-over and was eighth, with Newman in an 11th-place tie at 10-over. Kawell was 13th three shots further back.
Gulf Coast will get another month of work on the range and on the course to get ready for Plymouth. Their methods and routines paid off Tuesday.
"That's why we do the things we do," Snell said. "That's why we worked on chipping last night until dark. To beat a good team like Meridian, you have to do that. They have four individuals who qualified, so they'll go as a team, and that's cool. I'm happy for them."
For more information on MGCCC's 10 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCAthletics on Twitter and BulldogLIVE on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.
