EMCC men’s golf team finishes 14th at Jefferson State Fall Invitational in Jasper, Ala.

JASPER, Ala. – Competing against NJCAA Division I teams from six other states, the East Mississippi Community College men's golf team finished 14^th in this week's Jefferson State Community College Fall Invitational. The two-day tournament concluded Tuesday at Musgrove Country Club in Jasper, Ala.

As the only participating school from the NJCAA Division II-affiliated Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC), EMCC stood in 10^th place following Monday's opening-round 305. The Lions completed the highly competitive tournament, featuring 18 total teams from the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana and South Carolina, with a total team score of 627.

Sophomore Carter Martin collected team scoring honors for EMCC by firing rounds of 72 and 76 to finish in an eight-way tie for 22^nd place with a two-day total of 148 that included 24 pars. Following Monday's 1-over-par 72 that featured 13 pars, Martin was in a six-way tie for seventh place. A year ago as a freshman for the Lions, the Canton Academy product participated in the NJCAA Gulf District Championship.        

EMCC's scoring leader through the season's first four tournaments, freshman Lorenzo Ligabue slightly fell off the pace with this week's 56^th-place tie after having previously posted three top-10 finishes this fall. The Italian native was tied for 19^th place following a 3-over-par 74 on Monday, including a 35 with six pars and two birdies on the back nine. Ligabue totaled 156 for the week to tie with nine other golfers.

With consistent rounds of 80 and 79, EMCC sophomore Daniel Martin (Parrish, AL/Oakman HS) finished the 36 holes in a five-way tie for 72^nd place with a total score of 159.

Rounding out the Lions' scorecard for the week were freshman Trace Carpenter (Kosciusko/Winona Christian School) and sophomore Ben Boggan (Yazoo City/Benton Academy), who tied for 86^th (79-85—164) and 93^rd (82-86—168), respectively. In addition, EMCC freshman Lane Goodman (Brooksville/Heritage Academy) competed as an individual and scored rounds of 85 and 95.

On the team leaderboard, Central Alabama Community College (285-273—558) claimed a 16-shot victory over runner-up Calhoun Community College (293-281—574).

For individual medalist honors, Calhoun's Chandler Voss (68-68—136) bested Central Alabama's James Baker (71-65—136) on the first hole of the sudden death playoff.

Head coach Ashton Maddaloni's East Mississippi Lions are slated to close out their six-event men's golf fall schedule by participating in the William Carey University-hosted JUCO Showcase, Nov. 14, at Canebrake Country Club in Hattiesburg.