The Meridian Community College golf team is pictured after winning the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges state championship. They are, from left, assistant coach David Rosenbaum, Rhett Walters, Lance Strickland, Malachi Spiers, medalist Isaiah Jackson, Porsche Kitipongpatana, Jacob Berry and head coach Ronnie Key.

The Meridian Community golf team has enjoyed championship success over the past several decades, and the program added to that tradition on Monday. 

The Eagles captured the 2017 MACJC state championship Monday afternoon at the Wolf Hollow Golf Club in Wesson by a firing a final team score of 576, which was five strokes ahead of host Copiah-Lincoln Community College. The Eagles were able to push past Co-Lin with an impressive second round as a team by shooting a 283 (5-under par), which proved to be the difference in the tournament victory.

“I’m just excited for the boys,” head coach Ronnie Key said. “They played well against very tough competition. It’s a strong league. We were able to play well on another team’s home course. It was very exciting.” 

Winning on Co-Lin’s home course was a testament to the heart and desire of his golfers, Key added.

“They just want to,” Key said. “This team has wanted to all year long, and we got out of our own way a little bit, and things have started to come together the last month. I’m proud for them. Things started clicking, and it was a lot of fun to watch.”

Mississippi Gulf Coast finished in third place with a team score of 594 (18-over par), while East Mississippi came in fourth place with a team score of 609 (33-over par). Itawamba rounded out the top five with a final team score of 618 (42-over par). 

Isaiah Jackson took top medalist honors in the tournament for MCC with a final two-round score of 142 (2-under par). Jackson was named the MACJC Player of the Year at the conclusion of the event and was also named to the MACJC All-State Team. Teammate and former Lamar School standout Lance Strickland was also named a member of the All-State squad for 2017. 

“They’ve been the rocks of our team,” Key said of Jackson and Strickland. “We know they’re going to play solid with a really good chance to go low and a good chance to be on the all-tournament team every time we tee up. That allows the other guys to kind of relax a little bit, and it helps us throughout the lineup.”

Key was selected as the 2017 MACJC Coach of the Year, and the team has also won three straight events this spring. It’s won two MACJC titles in five years.

“It’s great, considering there are so many really good teams and coaches in our league,” Key said of being named coach of the year. “We have three of the top eight teams in the nation, and probably six or seven of the top 20 team are in our league. It’s humbling, but I’m very proud for the boys, because they did it.”

MCC now advances to the NJCAA District D Tournament April 24-25, which will be played at Grand Bear Golf Course in Saucier.