VILLA RICA — Lowndes High golf teams will have the chance to defend their own greens at the upcoming Class 6A boys and girls state tournaments. Both qualified for the finale at sectionals May 5-6 at Villa Rica.

The Vikettes scored the lowest of eight full teams at sectionals, their 253 winning by eight strokes over fellow Region 1-6A school, Camden County.

Lowndes’ Vikings were second, also in an eight-team field, according to official results posted by the Georgia High School Association. The Vikings shot 295 to finish four strokes behind Etowah, who scored 291.

All six Lowndes boys on the links shot less than 80 for the day. Mason Pate and Kaleb Shiver each had a 73, with Jimmy Cohen turning in a 74. Camden Yager finished at 75, with Jackson Arnold at 78 and Noah Davis at 79.

The top four boys scores count towards a team’s total.

Etowah won on the strength of a sensational 18 holes by Jackson Hovanec, who shot a 68.

Lowndes girls barely missed making state at the combined area/region tournament at Tift County’s Spring Hill. They were even stronger at Villa Rica.

Catherine Odom finished at 73, with Sophia Martin at 85 and Cannon Langdale shooting 95 for their counting scorecards. Also on the course were Miley Hughes, who finished at 96 and Taylor Akins at 104.

Four boys teams and four girls teams qualified at Villa Rica. Third and fourth for the girls were East Coweta (268) and Etowah (280). The other two boys qualifiers were Cherokee (305) and Richmond Hill (309).

State is a 36-hole tournament, scheduled for May 19-20 at Kinderlou Forest.

Beyond the teams making it at sectionals, boys teams qualifying at area/region tournaments are: Carrollton, Colquitt County, Harrison, Lambert, Mill Creek, North Gwinnett, North Paulding and West Forsyth.

Girls teams previously qualifying for state are: Carrollton, Lambert, North Gwinnett, Peachtree Ridge, Richmond Hill, Tift County, Walton and West Forsyth.

State will also feature a handful of individual qualifiers from schools.