NORTHEAST GOLFERS NOTCH SECOND WINNING PERFOMANCE OF NEW SEASON

February 20, 2007

RAYMOND, Miss.--  In its second tournament of the 2007 season, the Northeast Mississippi Community College golf team notched another winning performance in MACJC (Mississippi Association of Community/Junior Colleges) Division-III competition with a team score of 325 at the Hinds Community College Invitational at Eagle Ridge Golf Club in Raymond, on Tuesday, February 20.

Among D-III teams at the tournament (NEMCC, Jones County C.C., Southwest C.C.), Jones County Junior College finished second with a score of 367. Coach Craig Lauderdale’s Northeast Tigers finished third in the overall competition behind Gulf Coast Community College, and Hinds Community College, both Division-II teams.

On Monday, February 19, NEMCC sophomore Chase Williams (Alcorn Central) shot a round of 72, the lowest round among all competitors, and earned medalist honors at the Co-Lin Invitational to open the 2007 season. Today at the Hinds Invitational, Williams followed that performance with a round of 79, once again earning top medalist honors in the D-III competition on a day when winds at Eagle Ridge reached as high as 25 miles per hour.

“What Chase has done these last two days, in these windy conditions, is pretty impressive,” said former NJCAA All-American and current Northeast coach Craig Lauderdale. “Luckily it warmed up a little for these first two tournaments, but the wind was really hard to deal with. Chase just went right at the course and didn’t let the wind affect him, and I think he’s got a great start to what will be a great season for him and for our team.”

Curt Butler (Corinth) shot a round of 80 today and was named to the All-Tournament team along with teammates Jared Hight (Alcorn Central), Jared Harding (Cordova, Tenn.) and Derek Devaughn (Booneville).

Northeast will compete next at Northwood Golf Club in Meridian on March 6, in a tournament hosted by Meridian Community College.

###