City Honors Milton High's State Champ Golfers

Sports teams at have won six state titles and nine regional championships this year, making the school's playoff mantra, "Where Champions Play" certainly apt.

The City of Milton honored two of those state champs, calling Monday "Milton High School Golf Championship Day." Most of the players for those two teams made it to for the honor, with the girls wearing T-shirts commemorating their 5-A title win, while the boys dressed in their signature suits.

Expect to see Milton High students spending more time at City Hall, as three more teams from the school were crowned state champions on Saturday, May 19: the girls lacrosse team, the boys lacrosse team and the girls soccer team.

The Milton Lady Eagles were declared state champions of the 5-A Division on May 7 at West Lake Country Club in Augusta, becoming the first Milton girls golf team to earn the state title.

Under head coach Deborah Martina in her third season, the Eagles 2012 team racked up seven straight tournament wins this season, including a region championship in which the Lady Eagles beat Centennial High by 39 strokes, according to the resolution.

In the state title tournament, the team beat their closest opponent by 11 strokes, posting a 142 to Cherokee High School’s 153.

• Freshman Rachel Dai, ranked fourth in the state, was low medalist in the tournament, posting a back nine of three under par for 69;
• Sophomore Kayla Jones, ranked 11th in the state, shot a one over par 73;
• Freshman Sabrina Long, ranked 16th in the state, shot a 76;
• Junior Sally Morgan, ranked 19th in the state, shot an 84;

Alternates Taylor Chisholm, a senior, and Ali Fahey, a junior, also were praised for contributing to the team’s success.

The boys also were declared state champions of the 5-A Division on May 7, playing at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Evans. Coach Peter Vajda has led the program to three straight Region 6 championships, including winning the 2012 title by 17 shots.

The Eagles won the state title in a nail-biter, with Milton overcoming Benedictine by just one stroke, posting a 302.

• The Eagles were led by senior Sanders Park with an even-par 72;
• Senior Brandon Lee scored a 75; from
• Senior Zack Jaworkski, who is a Vanderbilt signee, put up a a 77;
• Junior Ian Shapiro followed with a 78.

Alternates Ryan Stachler, Chase Knox and Dawson Kipniss contributed to the team’s success all season.