The Benton Tigers won the Region I, Division II golf tournament for the fourth straight year at Links on the Bayou in Alexandria Wednesday.
Benton shot a 16-over 304. St. Louis finished a distant second with a 322 followed by Ruston with a 328 and West Ouachita with a 330.
The Tigers will try to win their fourth straight Division II state championship next week at The Wetlands in Lafayette. The 36-hole event is Monday and Tuesday.
Benton freshman Hayden White finished runner-up with a 1-over 73, two strokes behind Nolan Timon of North DeSoto.
Benton’s Jacob Wyatt tied for third with a 75. David Cole, the defending Division II state champ, was sixth with a 76. Shane Cram rounded out the scoring with an 80.
Airline finished fifth in the Region I, Division I tournament at Oak Wing Golf Club in Alexandria. Airline shot a 318, nine strokes out of fourth. Defending state champion Byrd won with a 284. The top four teams qualified for the Division I state tournament Monday and Tuesday at The Farm D’Allie in Carencro.
Two Airline golfers qualified as individuals. Jack Jordan finished tie for 15th with a 78. Austin Grigsby-Ledet finished tied for 17th with a 79. Byrd’s Phillip Barbaree won with a 63.
— Russell Hedges, rhedges@bossierpress.com