Senior Sadie Norman lines up a putt.

MOULTRIE – As a junior last season, Colquitt County’s Sadie Norman shot an 81-78 for a 159 that helped lead the Lady Packers to a fourth-place finish in the 12-team Class 7A state golf tournament held at Sunset Country Club.

On Monday, Norman, the rest of Colquitt County’s girls golf team and coach Brett Hightower will back in the mix in an attempt to improve on last year’s performance.

But the Lady Packers will have to travel nearly 250 miles to compete in this year’s two-day tournament, which will be played at the Chimney Oaks Golf Club in Homer, which is northeast of Atlanta in Banks County.

All 12 teams that will take part in the state tournament in Georgia’s highest classification will be chasing defending champion Lambert High, which won the 2021 title with a 442, a remarkable 42 shots over second-place Peachtree Ridge.

Lambert also went on to compete in the National High School Golf Association’s National Invitational last June at Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, N.C., and won that title by 28 strokes.

The Lady Longhorns have won the last three Georgia state titles and seven of the last eight.

As expected, Lambert shot the lowest qualifying score ahead of this year’s state championship, turning in a 218 in its Area tournament.

The next lowest was the 229 shot by Walton, which finished third in the state tournament last year.

Lowndes, which won the Area 1 championship with a 244, had the third-best qualifying score and would be considered a long shot to dethrone the Lady Longhorns.

The rest of the field includes North Gwinnett, which qualified with a 252; Colquitt County, the Area 1 runner-up, 254; Mill Creek, 267; Alpharetta, 269; Peachtree Ridge, 278; Harrison, 286; South Forsyth, 287; Hillgrove, 289; and North Paulding, 294.

Tift County did not qualify as a team, but will send two individual players, Maggie Harrelson and Brianna Domogala, who shot 86 and 100 respectively at the Sectional tournament.

Three of the four Lady Packers who will compete in the state meet are veterans of last year’s fourth-place team.

Joining Sadie Norman in this year’s tournament are sister Lenzie Norman, Ann Elyse Clements and Taylor Brown.

Gone from last year’s team is Chloe Howell, who shot a 163 at the state tournament.

Howell played golf this season for the Georgia Military College women’s team.

Sadie Norman played well in the Area 1 qualifier, shooting an 81 at Osprey Cove Golf Club in St. Marys.

Sister Lenzie, a freshman, was one shot back at 82.

The Lady Packers also counted a 91 from Brown that included her best front nine of the season.

The 254 and runner-up finish to Lowndes in the Area tournament ensured the Lady Packers would not have to play in the Sectional qualifier, as Tift County did.