Unbeaten Spartans notch 3rd straight title
PRATTVILLE — The Spartans were unbeatable in 2019.
The Mountain Brook High School boys golf team defeated all 102 teams that it competed against in tournaments throughout the season. The Spartans also won every single tournament they played in by at least 10 strokes.
Both of those numbers combined to lift the team to its third consecutive Class 7A state championship on Tuesday at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Capitol Hill.
After winning three of the previous four state championships through last spring, the bar had already been set pretty high for the Spartans. But they were unfazed all season.
“There were definitely a lot of expectations for us,” said senior Reynolds Lambert, who shared individual runner-up honors with teammate Gordon Sargent. “We lost one senior last year on a team that won state by 20 shots, so we did have a lot of expectations. We made sure to always stay focused and keep the pedal down.”
However, the victory at state was not a lock after the first of two days on the course. Following the first round, Mountain Brook held just a six-stroke lead over McGill-Toolen. The Spartans shot a team score of 293 compared to McGill-Toolen’s 299.
“These guys are so good,” Mountain Brook coach Alex Lockett said following the tournament. “Yesterday was a little — sometimes, it’s golf. Sometimes they get a little nervous when the three-peat is on the line. But they hung in there today, and I’m so proud of my seniors.”
On the second day, Mountain Brook shot a 295 to finish with a two-day total of 588, while McGill-Toolen finished with a score of 599. Vestavia Hills posted the lowest score of the second day with a 292 and completed the tournament with a 601, two behind McGill. Fairhope scored a 615 to finish fourth.
Austin Coggin of Vestavia Hills won the individual championship for the second time in his career, after having done it as a freshman in 2016. He shot rounds of 71 and 68 at the state tournament for a two-day total of 139. Lambert and Sargent each scored a 143 to tie for second overall. They each shot rounds of 72 and 71 over the two days.
“It’s great for sure,” Lambert of sharing the runner-up trophy with his teammate. “Gordon played great, and we had a great tournament.”
William Wann tied for fifth overall with a total of 146. Wann and Lambert were the team’s lone seniors, with both heading to play college golf next season. Wann, who won the individual state title in 2018, will now head to Mississippi State to continue his career, while Lambert heads to Furman.
“They have meant so much,” Lockett said of his seniors. “There on the first tee with both of them, hitting their last high school tournament first tee ball, it was just so emotional.”
Ninth-grader Coe Murdock competed as an individual and finished 10th overall with a score of 151.
“Coe was just amazing here at the end,” Lockett said. “Peaked at the right time and had a great year.”
Evans Gross and Mac Scott were 17th and 18th, respectively. Gross shot 157, and Scott finished at 160.
Lockett said he was proud of the players for creating competition amongst themselves and remaining driven in the midst of all the team’s success.
“They knew how good they were from last year and they work hard,” Lockett said. “I don’t have to crack the whip. They want it. What they want the least is to be the drop score, so their biggest competition is themselves.”
Mountain Brook won the section and sub-state tournaments to advance to the state tournament. The Spartans put together a round of 289 on April 29 at the Country Club of Birmingham. The following week, Mountain Brook scored a 282 to win the sub-state tournament in Huntsville.