PJC golf team Region XIV Champs, to national tournament
Published or Revised April 25, 2014
Paris Junior College’s golf team became Region XIV champions on April 22 and qualified for the national tournament in Burlington, Iowa, May 13-16. Zac Oliver of Checotah, Oklahoma, was Region XIV medalist and named to the All Region Team as well as earning All District honors. Also on the All Region Team are Jeremy Salas of Arlington who finished third and Tyler Dunbar of Lufkin who finished fourth. Shown from left are Oliver Stephens of Sarnia, Ontario Canada; Salas; Oliver; Collin Thompson of Longview, and Dunbar.
With a fifth place win Tuesday, the Paris Junior College golf team became Region XIV champions and qualified for the National Junior College Athletic Association tournament in Burlington, Iowa, May 13-16. PJC golf coach David Johnson was also named NJCAA Region XIV Coach of the Year in golf.
“I was really proud of the way the young men competed,” said Coach Johnson. “It has been a goal of theirs all year to win regionals and advance to nationals.”
In the past two years, one PJC golfer qualified as an individual for the National event; it has been three years since a PJC team earned a spot in the tournament.
Tournament qualification was based on combined scores from the District II Championship played April 21-22 at Sugar Tree Golf Club in Dennis and the NJCAA Southwest Championship, played April 7-8 in Pottsboro. The District II Tournament involves junior colleges in Texas and New Mexico from NJCAA Regions V and XIV. All golfers played three rounds at each tournament, and both events combined determine region and district champions.
Zac Oliver of Checotah, Oklahoma, was the Region XIV medalist, finishing as the top golfer in the region. Oliver trailed the field by five shots going into the second day of the tournament but rallied and shot a three under par, 67, for a two-shot victory. He was also named to the All Region Team, and for finishing second overall in District play, earned All District honors as well.
Also named to the All Region Team were Jeremy Salas of Arlington, finishing third, and Tyler Dunbar of Lufkin, finishing fourth.
Other team members taking part in the two tournaments were freshmen Oliver Stephens of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada and Collin Thompson of Longview.
Team Scores
1. McLennan Community College, 278-284-286 (848)
2. Odessa College, 291-289-290 (870)
3. Midland College, 293-291-289 (873)
4. Western Texas College, 289-288-299 (876)
5. Paris Junior College, 289-299-297 (885)
6. Ranger College, 297-297-300 (894)
7. New Mexico Junior College, 300-288-314 (902)
8. Tyler Junior College, 307-300-308 (915)
9. Jacksonville College, 330-306-317 (953)
10. New Mexico Military Institute, 339-337-342 (1018)
Individual PJC Scores
Tied for Second: Zac Oliver, 71-74-67 (212)
Jeremy Salas, 70-80-75 (225)
Tyler Dunbar, 76-71-78 (225)
Oliver Stephens, 72-76-81 (229)
Collin Thompson, 84-78-77 (239)
