The Pontotoc High School golf teams played their first home match on Thursday at the Pontotoc Country Club, a nine-hole affair, aka the Snowman Classic, against New Albany and Oxford.

With a team total 199, the young Warriors finished third, while Oxford was the day’s top team with a score of 169, followed by New Albany in second also with a 169. Oxford defeated New Albany by winning the forced sudden-death playoff on hole No. 10.

The Lady Warriors also finished third with a team score of 111. New Albany was the top team with a score of 100, followed by Oxford with a 102.

Pontotoc’s Clif Hanna, the match’s Medalist, led the Warriors with a nine-hole, one-under-par 35 — five strokes better than New Albany or Oxford’s best.

“Clif is just an exceptional golfing talent,” said PHS head coach Brent Jones of his junior leader.

Following Hanna for PHS were sophomore Justin Jensen with a 47, sophomore Aaron Tutor with a 55 and making the team’s No. 4 slot on Thursday was eighth grader Evan Akers with a 62.

“I expect those scores to come down as we move forward into the season,” Jones said, while noting that Pontotoc shot a 201 in the first match of the season at Fulton.

It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish, and a little time may be all the PHS boys need.

“We’ve just got to hit some balls,” Coach Jones added.

The Lady Warriors were led by senior Lindsay Cruse with a round of 55, followed closely by junior Carley Naugher with a 56.