HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS - The Keystone Heights High School girls golf team; led by junior Camille Jackson, and Middleburg High freshman Chase Carroll will be the only Clay County athletes to travel to the Class 1A and Class 2A golf championship tournaments to be held starting Tues., Oct. 29 and extending to Sat., Nov. 2 at the Mission Inn Resort and Club in Howey-in-the-Hills.

Jackson, the lone state tournament golfer the past two years from Clay County, returns for her third straight visit with her team with her in an historic trip for the small, rural school in southern Clay County.

“We love that we are one of two public schools heading to the state meet (Fernandina Beach High’s girls team will also compete in the Class 1A tournament) among all the private schools in Class 1A,” said Keystone Heights coach Billy Jackson, as he watched his daughter Camille, 22nd last year, lead his Lady Indians to a coveted state berth for the entire team. “We know what we can do and it’s all about putting that little ball in the cup. We play our game, we’ll do okay down there.”

The Keystone Heights girls include seniors Sloane Seibert and Ashton Ludwig, plus underclassmen Candace Jackson and Savannah Heinz.

“This group was going to be our best shot of getting all five to the state tournament,” said Camille Jackson, after her second place finish by just a stroke at the region 1-1A tournament (to Bolles’ Chloe Schiavone). “I think having my team there is going to be more relaxing than being by myself.”

For Carroll, who follows the footsteps of big brother Cody Carroll, a Class 2A champion for the Broncos two years ago and seventh a year ago, his advantage is being able to watch his brother play in high-level tournaments as he learned the sport.

“We talk and he tells me little things about the game,” said Carroll, after he iced a playoff birdie to earn his individual ticket to the state tournament last week. “I wanted to use his experience to get four state tournaments. We have a little rivalry like most brothers do, I guess.”