LaFayette High School golf coach Tom Langford thought for a moment that his team had seized control of the Georgia Region 7-AAAA championship Tuesday at Nob North Golf Course.
The feeling was fleeting as other scores poured in.
"There was a lot of stuff that went on today," he said. "It was an up-and-down day."
Yet his Ramblers ended on top.
LaFayette beat Pickens County in a sudden-death playoff starting on the par-5 16th hole, resulting in a state-tournament berth.
"You get so excited thinking that it's over and you've done it. Then you have to totally refocus," Langford said. "It's the first time I've been in a team playoff, and I really didn't know what to expect.
"But our guys couldn't wait to get back out there."
LaFayette won the playoff hole with a four-man team score of 1 under par with the two worst scores being dropped.
"Of our six guys, we had two bogeys and a birdie," Langford said: "That was good enough to win."
The contest for the individual medalist also came down to a playoff. It lasted three holes with Clay Wigington of Pickens County topping Ethan Hayes of Northwest Whitfield and Kurt Ingram of LaFayette.
The Region 6-A tournaments were held Tuesday at Battlefield Golf Club. Gordon Lee won the boys' title with a 309 and heads to the state tournament. Trion shot a 350 and advances to a sectional tournament on May 5.
Justin Hickman of Gordon Lee beat Trion's John Rollins and teammate Seth Lewis in a sudden-death playoff for medalist honors after each shot 2-over 74. Hickman won with a birdie.
Towns County won the girls' competition with a 188 for its two counting scores. Trion and Gordon Lee were third and fourth and get another chance at the state in a sectional.
Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP.