Oglethorpe University standout Jacob Arnett shot a second consecutive 4-under-par 68 and took the lead Tuesday in the Choo Choo Invitational golf tournament at Council Fire, but eight chasers were within four shots of him going into the final day. In the field of 89 accomplished amateurs, 22 were at par or better after two rounds. Arnett is from Spring Hill, Florida. Furman senior Stephen Reynolds was one stroke behind him at 137, and Alabama-Birmingham's Ethan Hagood was third at 138, one ahead of Clay Amlung from Louisville and the University of Cincinnati, Jake Maples from Georgia Southern and homegrown Ben Rebne from Heritage High School and Dalton State College, a first-round co-leader who followed his 67 with a 72. The other Monday leader, UAB's Nick Robillard, had a 76 and fell into a tie for 17th. Wilson Andress, Nick Giles and Jack Smith were tied for seventh at 140. Andress shared best-round honors with Amlung with their 67s.
Jake Goins» Bryan College's first golf coach has given way to his assistant for the past nine years, Rhea County native Jake Goins. Peter Bollant and his wife, Gwen, had a long career in international Christian missions and will be returning to that or entering a related ministry. He was hired in 2009 to start the Dayton school's men's and women's golf programs. They began play in the 2010-11 season and have produced two Appalachian Athletic Conference individual champions, Audrey Nelson and Krista Reinhardt, plus several other All-AAC players. Between them, Reinhardt and Dean Hoare had nine medalist finishes. "We are extremely thankful for Peter and all that he has brought to our athletic department and institution as a whole," athletic director Mike Keen said in a Bryan release. "He has gone out of his way to serve our students and exemplify Christ in all that he does. He will be greatly missed." Said Goins: "I'm thankful to Bryan for trusting me in this role and providing me the opportunity to continue serving the Lions' golf program. Bollant has left his mark, growing this program into an accomplished unit in both the AAC and NAIA. We have a talented incoming group, which will only add to our skilled returners, and we are ready to get to work for the 2019-20 campaign."
» Seth Brandon of Chattanooga just missed a spot in this year's U.S. Amateur in sectional qualifying Monday and Tuesday at Bogart, Georgia. A rec0rd-setting 2003 golf state champion for Baylor School who went on to All-Big Ten status at Indiana, Brandon shot one of five 139s at Jennings Mill Country Club, but the other four got the fourth and fifth national berths and the two alternate spots in a playoff.
» Nicole Adam followed her opening 68 with a 76 on Tuesday but still tied for 12th and assured herself a good seed in the 64-player match play of the 2019 U.S. Girls' Junior tournament at Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Yuka Saso of the Philippines won the qualifying by five strokes with a 132. Ashley Gilliam of Manchester, Tennessee, closed with a 73 for a 150 and a 13-way tie for the last two match-play spots. She was eliminated on the first playoff hole. Adam, of Pinehurst, North Carolina, is the granddaughter of Red Bank residents Nancy and Jim Sims.
Softball
» The local Frost Falcons 09 fastpitch softball team went 7-0 with a 47-13 run differential in winning the USSSA 9-under girls' national championship last week in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The tournament included 22 teams from the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio and Kentucky as well as Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. After winning three games by a combined 26-3, the Falcons won 6-5 over the Beverly Bandits, 4-2 over the Birmingham Bolts and 6-1 and 5-3 over the Texas Powersurge. Dana Mull is the Falcons' head coach, assisted by Billy Carter and Jason Ledford.