Michaela Morard and Nick Dunlap: 2018 Alabama State Junior Players of the Year
BIRMINGHAM, AL (September 6, 2018) – The Alabama Golf Association (AGA) has announced the 2018 Alabama Junior All-State Golf Teams. All-State team selections are determined from junior golfers performance over the past 12-months (September 1, 2017-August 31, 2018) using the Alabama State Junior Golf Rankings System. The top 15 boys and girls are awarded and placed into First, Second and Third teams based upon their final ranking. Rankings system awards points per event based on the number of participants combined with the overall strength of field. Tournaments must also meet additional requirements to be considered a sanctioned rankings event.
Related Links: RANKING SYSTEM | BOYS RANKINGS | GIRLS RANKINGS
2018 All-State teams are the second class recognized by the AGA. All-State teams, as well as Boys and Girls Junior Players of the Year, will be honored with the other four Alabama State Players of the Year at the annual AGA awards banquet in early 2019.
Boys All-State Teams
Boys First Team:
Nick Dunlap, 2022, of Birmingham won the 73rd Alabama Boys State Junior Championship. Finished fourth at the Southern Junior Championship at Squire Creek Country Club, qualified for the Alabama Men’s State Amateur Championship, and has multiple AJGA top-10 performances. He is the number one ranked junior in the State of Alabama and the 2018 Alabama Golf Association Junior Boys Player of the Year. A high school freshman, Dunlap and his family have recently relocated to South Carolina.
Gordon Sargent, 2021, of Birmingham is a sophomore at Mountain Brook High School. He was the winner at the 2018 AJGA Taylormade/Adidas Boys Junior All-Star, Co-medalist at the AHSAA 7A-State High School Championship, and finished seventh at the 2018 Future Masters. Sargent also qualified for the 2018 Junior PGA Championship and has multiple AJGA and SJGT top-10 finishes. Sargent is the number two ranked junior in the State of Alabama and a 2021 commit to Vanderbilt University.
Reynolds Lambert, 2019, of Birmingham is a senior at Mountain Brook High School. He won the 2018 AJGA Scott Stallings Junior Championship, placed fourth at the 2018 Future Masters and 10th at the Southern Junior Championship at Squire Creek Country Club. Lambert finished fourth at the AHSAA 7A-State High School Championship where he was a member of the Mountain Brook team that shattered the Alabama State scoring record at 32-under par. Lambert has accumulated multiple AJGA top-10 finishes and qualified for the 2018 Junior PGA Championship. He is the third ranked junior golfer in Alabama and a 2019 commit to Furman University.
Thomas Ponder, 2019, of Dothan is a senior at Providence Christian School. Was a Quarterfinalist at the United States Golf Association Junior Amateur Championship. Finished ninth at the 2018 Future Masters, T16 at the Alabama Men’s State Amateur Championship, and won the AHSAA 3A State High School Championship. He is the fourth ranked junior in Alabama and a 2019 commit to the University of Alabama.
Hunter Battles, 2019, of Tuscumbia is a senior at Muscle Shoals High School. Finished second at the 73rd Alabama Boys State Junior Championship where he tied the GlenLakes Golf Club competitive course record with an opening round of 64. Made the cut at the 2018 Southern Amateur Championship, T22 at the Southern Junior Championship, and was a key contributor on the AHSAA 6A State Championship team. Battles was a member of the victorious Team Alabama at this year’s Southern Junior Cup at Old Kinderhook in Missouri. He is the fifth ranked junior in Alabama and a 2019 commit to Louisiana Tech University.
Boys Second Team:
Austin Coggin, 2019, of Vestavia Hills is a senior at Vestavia Hills High School. He made the cut at the Alabama Men’s State Amateur Championship, finished second at the AJGA Billy Horschel Championship and Bubba Conlee Junior, and qualified for the 2018 Junior PGA Championship. Coggin has multiple AJGA top-10 finishes and an SJGT win. He is the sixth ranked junior in Alabama and a 2019 Auburn University commit.
Jordan Plunkett, 2018, of Sterrett is a graduate of Hope Christian High School and a freshman at University of South Alabama in Mobile this fall. Placed third at the 73rd Alabama Boys State Junior Championship, T16 at the Alabama Men’s State Amateur Championship and made the cut at the Future Masters. Plunkett has multiple top-5 SJGT finishes on his resume. He finished his junior career as the seventh ranked junior in Alabama.
Max Johnson, 2020, of Fairhope is a junior at Fairhope High School. Placed T5 at the Alabama Boys State Junior Championship, won the SJGT Willow Point, finished second at the SJGT Wynlakes Junior, eighth at the AHSAA 7A-State High School Championship. Johnson has an additional top-10 finish on the Southeastern Junior Golf Tour. He is the eighth ranked junior golfer in Alabama.
Hal Dove, 2019, of Dothan is a senior at Houston Academy. Champion at the 2018 Future Masters, second at the AHSAA 3A High School State Championship, T8 at the 2018 Bubba Conlee Junior, and qualified for the 2018 Junior PGA Championship. Dove also has one AJGA top-10 finish at the Hunter Mahan Junior Championship. He is the ninth ranked junior golfer in the state and a 2019 Auburn University commit.
Padraic Sim, 2018, of Spanish Fort is a graduate of Spanish Fort High School and a freshman at the University of Washington this fall. Placed ninth at the 73rd Alabama Boys State Junior Championship, where he was the defending champion, seventh at the Texas Cup Junior Invitational, and has one SJGT top-5 finish. Sim also qualified for the Alabama Men’s State Amateur Championship and the PGA Junior Boys Championship. He finished his junior career as the 10th ranked junior in Alabama.
Boys Third Team:
Jacob LeCroy, 2019, of Anniston is a senior at the Donoho School. Champion at the AHSAA 1A-2A Boys State High School Championship and finished fourth at the Alabama Boys State Junior Championship. LeCroy made the cut at both the 2018 Future Masters and Southern Junior Championship at Squire Creek Country Club. LeCroy closes out the 2017-2018 golf season as the 11th ranked junior in the State of Alabama.
Ford Clegg, 2018, of Birmingham is a graduate of Mountain Brook High School and a freshman at Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS this fall. He qualified for the United States Golf Association Junior Amateur Championship, Southern Amateur Championship, and the Alabama Men’s State Amateur Championship. Finished T6 at the Jones Cup Junior Invitational and 10th at AJGA Foley Performance at Eagles Dream. He completes his junior career as the 12th ranked junior in Alabama.
JP Cave, 2020, of Mobile is a junior at UMS-Wright Preparatory School. He placed 12th at the Southern Junior Championship at Squire Creek, fifth at AJGA Jim Bell Memorial Junior and AHSAA 4A State High School Championship. Cave has multiple top-20 AJGA finishes and is the 13th ranked junior in the state. Cave has committed to play golf at the University of Alabama.
Harrison Davis, 2020, of Fort Payne is a junior at Fort Payne High School. He finished fifth at the 73rd Alabama Boys State Junior Championship, third at the SJGT Saugahatchee Junior, and multiple top-20 SJGT performances to his credit. Davis finished the year as the 14th ranked junior in Alabama.
Dawson Garrett, 2020, of Fort Payne is a junior at Fort Payne High School. Garrett placed 10th at the 73rd Alabama Boys State Junior Championship, T14 at the AJGA Taylormade/Adidas All Star, and fourth at the AHSAA 6A State High School Championship. Garrett has top-10 finishes on both the SJGT and HJGT junior golf tours. He closes out the 2017-2018 golf season as the 15th ranked junior in the state.
Girls All-State Teams
Girls First Team:
Michaela Morard, 2020, of Huntsville is a junior at Randolph School in Huntsville. She won the 2018 Alabama Girls State Junior Championship and 2018 Alabama Women’s Stroke Play, where she shattered her own scoring record with a blistering 21-under (63-66-66) clearing second place by 11 shots. Finished fourth individually at the 2017 United States Golf Association Women’s State Team Championship in New Mexico and was a member of the victorious Team Alabama at the 2018 Southern Junior Cup at Old Kinderhook. Morard is the number one ranked junior in Alabama and the 2018 Alabama Girls State Junior Player of the Year. She is a 2020 verbal commit to the University of Alabama.
Ally Williams, 2019, of Athens is a senior at Athens High School. She finished second at the Alabama Girls State Junior Championship; quarterfinalist at the Alabama Women’s State Amateur Championship at the Country Club of Birmingham and has multiple top-5 SJGT finishes. Williams was a member of the victorious Team Alabama at the 2018 Southern Junior Cup at Old Kinderhook. Williams is the number two ranked junior in the state and a 2019 verbal commit to Mississippi State University.
Elisabeth Preus, 2019, of Auburn is a senior at Auburn High School. She won the SJGT Callaway Gardens, Tournament of Champions, and Rock Creek events. Was a quarterfinalist at the Alabama Women’s State Amateur Championship at the Country Club of Birmingham. Preus has multiple AJGA top-20 finishes and was a member of Team Alabama at the 2018 Southern Junior Cup at Old Kinderhook. She is the third ranked junior in the state and a 2019 verbal commit to Troy University.
Erika Allen, 2021, of Berry is a sophomore at Northside High School. Champion at the AHSAA 4A-5A State High School Championship by firing a second round seven-under par 65, won the SJGT Hampton Cove Junior and SJGT at The Ledges. Finished 12th at the Alabama Girls State Junior Championship and has multiple top-10 finishes on the SJGT junior tour. She is currently the fourth ranked junior in the State of Alabama.
Caroline Waldrop, 2018, of Birmingham is a graduate of Spain Park High School and a freshman at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY this fall. She won the AHSAA Girls 7A State High School Championship, second at the Alabama Girls State Junior Championship, and a quarterfinalist at the Alabama Women’s State Amateur Championship at the Country Club of Birmingham. Waldrop also qualified for the United States Golf Association Girls’ Junior Championship in Pebble Beach, CA. She finished her junior career as the fifth ranked junior in Alabama.
Girls Second Team:
Carson McKie, 2018, of Hoover is a Hoover High School graduate and a freshman at Lee University in Cleveland, TN this fall. She finished second at the 2018 AHSAA Girls 7A State High School Championship, quarterfinalist at the Alabama Women’s State Amateur at the Country Club of Birmingham, and a top-20 finish at the Alabama Women’s Stroke Play Championship. McKie has multiple SJGT top-5 finishes. She completes her junior golf career as the sixth ranked player in Alabama.
Allison Howard, 2019, of Newton is a senior at Providence Christian School. Champion at the 2018 AHSAA Girls 1A-3A State High School Championship, finished sixth at the Alabama Girls State Junior Championship, and has multiple top-5 SJGT finishes including one win. Howard was a member of the victorious Team Alabama at the 2018 Southern Junior Cup at Old Kinderhook. She is the seventh ranked junior golfer in Alabama and a 2019 verbal commit to Samford University.
Lauren Gilchrist, 2020, of Spanish Fort is a junior at UMS-Wright Preparatory School. She finished fourth at the Alabama Girls State Junior Championship, seventh at the AJGA Preview at Chateau Elan, and fifth at the AHSAA Girls 4A-5A State High School Championship. Gilchrist qualified for the 2018 Junior PGA Championship and was a member of Team Alabama at the 2018 Southern Junior Cup at Old Kinderhook. She finishes the year as the eighth ranked junior in Alabama.
Mikayla Dubnik, 2021, of Hartselle won the 2018 AHSAA Girls 6A State High School Championship representing Hartselle High School, finished seventh at the Alabama Girls State Junior Championship, and a top-15 finish at the Alabama Women’s Stroke Play Championship. She has multiple SJGT top-10 finishes and finishes the year as the ninth ranked junior golfer in Alabama. A high school sophomore, Dubnik and her family have recently relocated to Georgia.
Lauren Thompson, 2021, of Midland City is a sophomore at Providence Christian School. She finished second at the 2018 AHSAA Girls 1A-3A State High School Championship, fifth at the Alabama Girls State Junior Championship, and has multiple top-5 finishes on the SJGT and AJGO golf tours including two wins. She is the 10th ranked junior golfer in the state.
Girls Third Team:
Sarah Utley, 2020, of Hampton Cove is a junior at Huntsville High School. Utley placed second at the AJGA Preview at Chateau Elan, 10th at the Alabama Girls State Junior Championship, and multiple SJGT top-10 finishes. She is currently the 11th ranked junior in Alabama.
Morgan Jones, 2021, of Auburn is a sophomore at Auburn High School. She finished fifth at the AJGA Foley Performance Academy at Eagles Dream, second at the AHSAA Girls 7A High School State Championship, and a top-15 finish at the Alabama Girls State Junior Championship. Jones has multiple top-5 finishes on various junior golf tours including the SJGT, HJGT, and AJGO. She finishes the year as the 12th ranked junior golfer in Alabama.
Mary Mac Trammell, 2018, of Mountain Brook is a graduate of Mountain Brook High School and a freshman at the University of Alabama this fall. Trammell placed eighth at the Alabama Girls State Junior Championship, top 20 at the Alabama Women’s Stroke Play Championship, and has multiple top-10 SJGT finishes. She was a member of Team Alabama at the Southern Junior Cup at Old Kinderhook. She finishes her junior golf career as the 13th ranked junior in Alabama.
Emilia Smith, 2020, of Enterprise is a junior at Enterprise High School. She won the SJGT Sea Island Classic, 10th at the Alabama Girls State Junior Championship and has multiple top-10 SJGT finishes. She concludes the year as the 14th ranked junior golfer in the state.
Emma Pittman, 2020, of Pike Road is a junior at Trinity High School. She finished ninth at the Alabama Girls State Junior Championship, fourth at the SJGT Willow Point, and seventh at the SJGT UGA Junior Classic. Pittman finishes the season as the 15th ranked junior in Alabama.
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About the Alabama Golf Association (AGA) The Alabama Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization founded in 1915 whose mission is to serve and promote amateur golf in Alabama. AGA membership consists of over 130 member clubs represented by nearly 18,500 individuals. The activities and services of the Alabama Golf Association are governed by a Board of Directors consisting of Alabama golfers who wish to serve the game and the association through service. AGA is the USGA's liaison for golf in Alabama conducting national championship qualifying, administering the USGA Handicap system including the GHIN Handicap service, course & slope rating and education. The AGA annually conducts 13 championships and team match competitions for men, women, juniors, and seniors. The AGA also conducts Alabama high school golf championships and assists with many collegiate events including the SEC Men's Golf Championship. In addition to competitions, the AGA administers the AGA Women's Scholarship Fund that is dedicated to assisting young female golfers in higher education and supports the Alabama Turfgrass Research Foundation. Since 1980, the AGA has managed the affairs of the Southern Golf Association which includes conducting the Southern Amateur Championship and Southern Junior Championship, in conjunction with the Board of Directors of the Southern Golf Association. For more information about the Alabama Golf Association, visit www.alabamagolf.org.
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