Pearl River Central’s Lady Blue Devils golf team participated in a five-team competition on March 5.

PRC came in second as a team while senior Kelsey Dill came in third as an individual.

It was the team’s last taste of competitive golf prior to the suspension of sporting activities until March 29 by the Mississippi High School Activities Association.

The decision to suspend the season was due to the outbreak of COVID-19, or Coronavirus.

Head Coach Shelly Dill said she was proud of the team’s performance and that the talent on the squad is good enough not only to win district, but possibly state as well.

Assistant Coach Beverly Griffing said the athletes are all of similar skill levels, which makes for a well-rounded team.

“There’s a little competition within the team because they’re so close. It’s friendly competition and they encourage each other, but they also better themselves in order to vie for places in the team,” Griffing said.

All team activities have been suspended and the athletes can’t get together with the coaches to practice.

However, that hasn’t stopped the Lady Blue Devils from working on their own while at home.

The coaches said several of the athletes have memberships to Millbrook Golf and Country Club or Diamondhead Country Club where the athletes can still hone their skills.

Even players who don’t have memberships are putting in the work at home by practicing their chipping, putting or other aspects of the sport.

“This has a lot of ways it could help them to get that extra practice. You don’t have to stop practicing just because of this, there’s a lot at home you can do,” Dill said.

Golf is a game where athletes constantly need to practice in order to keep their skills sharp.

Working at home will help keep the rust off, but Griffing said having discipline and being motivated is what will allow the girls to continue improving at home during the suspension.

“I think it depends on what they choose to do with their down time. It’s going to take self motivation, if they want it (bad enough) they’re going to do it,” Griffing said.

The squad has several seniors who were in the midst of their final season as Lady Blue Devils when the suspension came down.

The suspension is through March 29 at which point the MHSAA will make a decision whether to lift the suspension or keep it in place.

From then on the organization will decide on a weekly basis what the best course of action is.

Dill said she understands why the decision was made, but that she feels bad for her seniors athletes who are missing out on their final season with PRC.

“My fear is it will go a little further than this. This is so sad because you’ve got seniors and they’re missing all their stuff. It’s heartbreaking,” Dill said.