[4/4/03]Vicksburg High won the Vicksburg Invitational golf match on Thursday at Clear Creek, but St. Aloysius’ Chase Smith shot a 74 to win medalist in a three-hole playoff with VHS’ Bill Hassell.

Hassell, who also shot a 74, was the recipient of some bad luck on No. 11. A player on a different hole accidentally hit Hassell’s ball, which was lying in the fairway. So instead of hitting his second shot from the fairway, he had to tee off again. With a lost ball penalty of one stroke, he was actually shooting his third shot from the tee box.

“He should have shot a 71,” Vicksburg coach Mike Coleman said.

Smith beat Hassell on the third playoff hole and earned all-tournament honors as well. Vicksburg’s Justin Stokes, who shot a 77, took longest drive with an estimated 350-yard shot on No. 7. Elliott Flaggs shot an 81 and Keith Ferguson shot an 86 as the Gators beat Natchez Cathedral and St. Al.

As a team, Vicksburg shot a 318, while Cathedral shot a 327 and St. Al a 332. Warren Central came in fourth with a 350.

Hassell and Stokes earned all-tournament honors.