Golf: Panthers’ Delloyd headed to state tournament

Go ahead and chalk up one more record to their laundry list of broken records. For the first time in Jackson County history, the Panthers are sending a player — sophomore York Delloyd — to the state tournament.

Tuesday, the Panthers took on the 8AA region tournament being one of the favorites to place in the top two spots to move on to state — or even win.

But one major obstacle stood in their way. Mother nature’s 25 mph winds that definitely took a toll.

Jackson County along with the rest of the golf teams in the region struggled to keep the ball under the wind and it showed on their scorecards.

But Delloyd was able to keep it together for the majority, he carded a 78.

“I did nothing fancy, I just played golf,” Delloyd said.

His score would be one of only three scores in the 70s for the entire tournament. His 78 carried the Panthers to a third place finish shooting a 353 — one spot short of going to state as a team. Rounding out the scoring were River Bryant (89), Thomas Whitley (91) and Jared Scott (95). The Panthers finished behind North Oconee (322) and Oglethorpe County (327).

“I am excited about going to state, but I wish the team was with me,” Delloyd said.

Delloyd wants to break one more record, the granddaddy of them all — winning state.

“I’m going to go to work with coach Standridge and head pro Jeff Kaneko, I want to bring JC a state title,” Delloyd said.

Delloyd will travel to Waynesboro Country Club on May 7 to take on the state’s best golfers in the AA division.