By WESLEY HALLMAN / Sports Editor

CALERA — Briarwood Christian School boys’ golf coach Jim Brown was pleasantly surprised as he witnessed his team claim back-to-back Shelby County tournament championships following a four-stroke victory April 12 at Timberline Golf Club in Calera.

Brown expected to win the 2010 tournament with a couple of experienced seniors on the team. Brown didn’t expect the same result with a junior, sophomore, freshman, eighth-grader and seventh-grader making up his team in 2011.

Led by a pair of 1-over par 72 rounds from Trevor Page and Connor Smith, the Lions took home the championship trophy for the second year in a row following a team score of 299, which edged second-place Chelsea by four strokes. Smith and Page finished in a three-way tie with Connor Slane of Pelham for second overall in the individual standings.

“We’ve been a little erratic,” Brown said. “It really came together today. We really had a great day.”

Chelsea High School finished second in team standings with a total score of 303 strokes.

Chelsea junior Jesse Goss captured his first Shelby County tournament individual championship with his round of even par 71, which marked his lowest round of the season.

Goss, who had two birdies during his round Tuesday, said his short game helped him limit his strokes.

“I chipped fantastically,” Goss said.

Chelsea golf coach Jason Beasley said he wasn’t surprised to see Goss claim the individual title.

“He’s pretty pumped about it,” Beasley said. “He ought to be. That’s a quality round here.”

Pelham High School finished third in team standings with a team score of 308 strokes. Pelham sophomore Connor Slane was the Class 6A low medalist in the tournament with his score of 1-over par 72. Calera High School senior Kevin McGaughty was named the Class 4A-3A low medalist with his score of 15-over par 86.

Oak Mountain, led by Clay Nolen’s 6-over par 77, finished fourth in team standings with a score of 323. Thompson, led by Cole Ranson and Nathan Forbes’ rounds of 14-over par 85, came in fifth in team standings with a total score of 371 strokes.

Calera came in sixth in team standings behind McGaughty’s 15-over par 86.

Montevallo, led by Dakota Sharp’s score of 96 strokes, finished seventh in team standings with a score of 458 strokes. Shelby County, led by Fuzzy Kendrick and Andrew Brown’s rounds of 106, came in eighth in team standings with a team score of 507 strokes.

Eddie Davis of Montevallo, Braxton Holley of Pelham and John Hayden of Briarwood Christian were also named to the all-tournament team.

Brown said the tournament will help the Lions when they return to Timberline Golf Club for an Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 5A section tournament later this month.

“This will give us a little bit of cofidence coming back here,” Brown said.

Complete team and individual results are listed below.

1. Briarwood Christian School (299)

Connor Smith — 72

Trevor Page — 72

John Hayden — 73

Banks Nash — 82

Brent Gilbert — 86

2. Chelsea High School (303)

Jesse Goss — 71

Tyler Shope — 74

Josh Kirby — 77

Reed Kelley — 81

Josh Parker — 87

3. Pelham High School (308)

Connor Slane — 72

Justin Nolen — 76

Braxton Holley — 77

Christian Holler — 83

John Menke — 90

4. Oak Mountain High School (323)

Clay Nolen — 77

Zac Gooze — 81

Phillip English — 82

Scott McKnight — 83

Tyler Edge — 84

5. Thompson High School (371)

Cole Ranson — 85

Nathan Forbes — 85

Brandon Cochran — 98

Trevin Rider — 103

Dustan Dewilde — 109

6. Calera High School (413)

Kevin McGaughty — 86

Nick Barton — 101

Stephen Ellison — 110

Tyler Patton — 116

Preston Waid — 116

7. Montevallo High School (458)

Dakota Sharp — 96

Mitch Sanders — 116

Eddie Davis — 123

Seth Hawk — 123

Lucas Sears — 133

8. Shelby County High School (507)

Fuzzy Kendrick — 106

Andrew Brown — 106

Blaine Wakefield — 147

Jordan Price — 148

Wally Morris — 154

Briarwood Christian School “B”

Brendan Mallory — 88

Chase Schroeder — 93

Judson Hawk — 99

Bentley King — 104

Oak Mountain High School “B”

Drew Anderson — 87

Sean Kennedy — 95

Guice Potter — 95