TUPELO – Trailing by just three strokes after the opening round of the Region XXIII Championships at Big Oaks Country Club, Northwest and the rest of the field battled tough wind conditions, as the Rangers couldn't make up any ground in finishing third. | Final Results

Powerhouse Gulf Coast captured its fifth consecutive Region XXIII Championship with a two-day 615, besting Copiah-Lincoln (622), Northwest (625), East Mississippi (649) and Northeast (664).

Sophomore Cameron Thomas was the individual medalist with a tournament-low 146 (74-72), earning All-Region XXIII honors and qualifying for the national tournament in Plymouth, Ind., May 22-25.

Freshman Chad Cupples carded a two-day 158 (75-83) to finish in a tie for eighth, also qualifying for Indiana. Jack Byrd followed in a T10th (159), Sam Cooper shot a 164 (18th) and Dylan Baskins closed with a 169 (T22nd).

"We got off to a good start the opening day but didn't adjust on day two," volunteer assistant Guy Purdy said. "We battled some tough winds like everyone else and just didn't finish like I'd hoped. We had two bright spots with Cameron Thomas and Chad Cupples making the national tournament."

Northwest closed the year with five consecutive Top 3 finishes, including two runner-up finishes, but was held without a team win this spring. The Rangers' 307.3 scoring average in 13 rounds marks the lowest single-season team score in the last five years.

Thomas and Cupples will represent Northwest at Indiana National GC May 22-25.