north pontotoc VikingS golf

NORTH PONTOTOC

2022 VikingS golf

2022 north pontotoc VikingS golf team

The North Pontotoc Vikings Golf Team for 2022 includes (left to right) Brayden Brown, Reid Bennett, Clay Pitts, and Brayden Nowlin. Not pictured is 2021 State Runner Up Jackson Wise.

Photo by Galen Holley

NORTH GOLF HAS POTENTIAL FOR STRONG SEASON

Jonathan Wise

Sports Writer

The North Pontotoc golf squad likes their potential as they get set for the 2022 season. Last season, they ended with only three players and could not advance in postseason team competition. This time around the Vikings are looking forward to seeing what kind of noise they can make.

Of course, it helps when you have one of the best players in the state. Senior Jackson Wise was the individual Class 4A state runner-up in 2021, falling just short of the state championship in a playoff. Wise, who has signed to continue his career with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, is extremely strong in all aspects of the game.

“He works so hard at it. Even in the middle of winter he is working on his game in some way, whether it be at home or on the golf course,” said North Pontotoc coach Chris Parman. “That work ethic has helped make him what he is.”

The other team members are Clay Pitts, Brayden Nowlin, Reid Bennett and Brayden Brown.

“I think Clay will be pretty good,” coach Parman said. “Him and Jackson play a lot together.”

Bennett and Nowlin are returners. Nowlin, a senior, battled an injury last year, but he is experienced and has been in the program since junior high.

“Brayden (Nowlin) has potential,” Parman said. “He strikes the ball well. He’s just got to work on fine-tuning some things.”

Brown, a freshman, is new to the team this season.

The Vikings compete in Region 1-4A. Ripley is expected to be a state-championship contender, and New Albany is always solid, although they lost a good deal from last season. The other region foes are Corinth, Senatobia and Tishomingo County. With four scores counting toward match results, how much success North can ultimately attain will depend on how much improvement happens over the course of the season.

“With how Jackson will score and if Clay is as good as I think he will be, if the others come around and play well we possibly could be right up there (at the top of the region),” Parman said.

2022 north pontotoc VikingS golf Schedule

MARCH 22 TCPS (18 Hole) Tupelo CC MARCH 24 South Pontotoc (18 Hole) PCC

MARCH 30 St. Andrews (18 Hole) Lake Caroline GC

APRIL 4 South Pontotoc PCC

APRIL 6 Germantown (18 Hole) Patrick Farms GC

APRIL 12

Division Match TBA

APRIL 14

Madison Central (18 Hole) Lake Caroline GC

MAY 2-3 State Championship TBA

NORTH PONTOTOC