By TAYLOR BECK, Sports Editor
Snead State’s men’s golf team wrapped up one of the strongest fall campaigns in program history this past week, securing a fourth-place finish (+38) at the Dan York Memorial Tournament in Cullman and cementing itself among the nation’s best.
The Parsons closed the fall slate with an impressive résumé: one tournament championship, a runner-up finish and two additional top-five showings. Their consistency has propelled them to be ranked No. 18 in NJCAA Div. II — a benchmark the program has rarely seen.
Parsons head coach Sam Holcomb said this squad has set a new standard in Boaz.
“This is probably the best fall a Snead State team has ever had,” Holcomb said. “Brayden Cochran and Eli Edge — both sophomores — have led the team in scoring. Kaman Rouse and Justin Lovoy have played well as freshmen.”
Cochran tied for seventh place in the Dan York Memorial Tournament with a +2 finish. Edge tied for ninth at +6, while Lovoy placed 17th at +12.
Holcomb said the program’s depth has been a driving force behind its success, noting key contributions throughout the roster.
“Sophomores Jacob Hubbard, Jake Duquette, Jack Kilgo and John Linley have all played well,” he added.
The Parsons teed off the year with a fourth-place finish (+37) at the Wallace Kickoff Classic in Dothan on Sept. 8-9. The next week, Snead State won the 2025 Stitch Golf/SCC Flyers Fall Intercollegiate Tournament at Southern Pines in North Carolina with a +24 finish, led by Cochran’s +4.
Snead State went on to finish second (+35) at the Chuck Kalanick Memorial Tournament, hosted by the Parsons at Cherokee Ridge CC in Union Grove on Sept. 21-23. Lovoy (+3) tied for second place, followed by Cochran (+7) in 10th.
The Parsons rolled through October to a seventh-place finish at the Visit The Shoals ACCC Preview at Cypress Lakes (Muscle Shoals), a sixth-place finish at the LBW Saints Invitational at Cambrian Ridge (Greenville), and a 10th-place finish at the Charles Cooper Classic (Gulfport, Miss.) before competing in this week’s season finale.
While the scores on the course have elevated expectations, the Parsons’ performance in the classroom is equally noteworthy. Holcomb said his returning sophomore class finished last season with the highest GPA of any Division I or Division II junior college team in Alabama — and seventh-best nationally.
With momentum, depth and discipline on their side, the Parsons now shift their attention to the spring season — one that could hold even greater promise as Snead State aims to climb further into the national rankings.
Members of the Snead State Men’s Golf Team. Photo SPECIAL TO THE LEADER
