PANAMA CITY, Fla. — Mosley swept the boys and girls team championships Monday at the Bay County Golf Championships at Panama City Country Club, led by junior Cade Denecke’s individual victory on the boys side and a strong team performance from the Lady Dolphins’ squad.
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Denecke shot a 1-under-par 71 to win the boys individual title, helping Mosley post a team score of 317, 13 strokes ahead of runner-up Bay, which finished at 330.
Bay High freshman Kentley Hourigan claimed the girls individual championship with an 81, while Mosley won the girls team title with a 406. North Bay Haven finished second at 416.
For Denecke, the victory was another milestone in a season built on consistency and confidence. The junior said he focused on executing his game plan rather than thinking about defending his title.
“I didn’t really think about winning too much. I just played my game,” Denecke said.
He said the course conditions challenged the field but emphasized the importance of staying composed and recovering from mistakes.
“The course is in pretty hard condition today, so I just got to hit varying greens and just make the putts, and that’s what I did today,” Denecke said.
Denecke said his confidence heading into the championship came from a successful season in which he had won nearly every county match.
“I’ve always had a lot of confidence, and I think I just carried it in today,” he said.
Despite his second county title, Denecke has his sights set on advancing further in the postseason. He said missing out on state qualification by one stroke last year remains a motivating factor as he prepares for districts and regionals.
Mosley’s boys team finished with a 317, followed by Bay at 330, Bozeman at 340, North Bay Haven at 341 and Arnold at 354.
On the girls side, Mosley finished 10 strokes ahead of North Bay Haven to secure the team championship. Arnold placed third at 448, followed by Rutherford at 474 and Bozeman at 476.
Hourigan, meanwhile, delivered the top individual round among the girls, crediting her improvement throughout the season to consistent practice and help from her coaches.
“I think my coaches really helped me get better,” Hourigan said. “My improvement from the first match to this match was big.”
The freshman said lessons and regular practice helped her develop consistency, adding that her game has improved significantly over the past three years.
“I improved a lot and practiced a lot,” Hourigan said. “You need to practice to get better.”
Hourigan entered Monday’s championship with modest expectations after a disappointing performance the previous Thursday. She began playing better as the round progressed and found her rhythm with back-to-back birdies.
Asked when she began to feel comfortable in her round, Hourigan pointed to the eighth hole.
For North Bay Haven sophomore Missy Perdue, last years county champion and this seasons girls runner-up finish was particularly meaningful given the challenge of balancing golf with volleyball throughout the season.
Perdue shot an 85 to finish second individually.
“Through the season, I didn’t get to make it to a lot of matches because I play volleyball,” Perdue said. “I wasn’t able to be out here much to practice, but I just tried my best and did some stuff at home.”
Perdue said she took advantage of opportunities to play whenever her schedule allowed.
Although she had hoped to shoot in the high 70s, Perdue said she was satisfied with her effort and remained optimistic about the next stage of the season.
With more time available for golf practice, Perdue expects to be better prepared for districts.
Golf districts are next week.
Adebanji Bamidele is a sports reporter for the Panama City News Herald. He can be reached at abamidele@gannett.com or through X, formerly known as Twitter, @AdebanjiPCSport.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Mosley sweep Bay County golf titles; Denecke, Hourigan win solo titles