Lambert High School

Shanahan leads Lambert to 7-AAA title

Freshman wins individual crown

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GAINESVILLE — The recent aerating of the greens didn’t provide the best putting conditions, but that didn’t stop Lambert High School’s girls golf team Monday at Chattahoochee Golf Course.   

Freshman phenom Sloan Shanahan won the Region 7-AAA individual title with a 74 and — combined with Jessica Walker’s 83 — helped the first-year Lady Longhorns win the team championship with an aggregate score of 157.   

“The greens made 3-footers feel like 10-footers,” Shanahan said. “[But] all things considered, it wasn’t a terrible round.”     

The round started off rough, though, as she bogeyed the first hole, then got back even with a birdie on No. 3. Another bogey put Shanahan at 1-over, but the freshman birdied three straight holes to finish the front nine at 2-under.     

“I just had a lot of mental mistakes on the back nine,” she said.   

Led by Camryn Cole (76) and Susan Frobos (90), Gainesville’s girls also earned a state playoff spot by finishing second with 166 points.  

 “It was great to see Camryn play well,” Gainesville coach Clay McDonald said. “She hit the ball well and stayed focused all day.”  

McDonald also applauded the play of his three juniors, Frobos, LeeAnn Noble and Lila Cooley, who all broke 100 for the first time Monday.  

“That showed a lot of character for them to come out here and all have personal bests,” he said. “It’s definitely makes the future bright because they know they can do it.”     

If Gainesville’s future is bright, then first-year Lambert’s is glowing.     

“We’re a brand new school and you never know what you’re going to have as far as golfers,” said Lambert coach Joel Posey, whose team remains undefeated. “It’s been a great year and it’s all because of the girls.”     

Lambert and Gainesville will have one more tournament to increase this year’s success, as both teams will compete in the Class AAA state tournament May 4 in Columbus.     

“In one sense, the pressure’s off because you made it,” McDonald said of competing in the state tournament. “But at the same time, you want to represent your region well.     

“We’ll have to do some homework to prepare for that course.”     

Neither team has ever played at the Country Club of Columbus, but that won’t change Posey’s outlook on the tournament.     

“My expectation is for them to go out there and have a great time, and let everything fall into place,” he said.