The Columbus boys golf team was a force from start to finish this season, winning a school-record number of regular-season tournaments and, of course, the big prize with a Class 5A state championship at the end.

The team's top golfer, Nolan Miller, played his best when it meant the most, shooting a 66 to win medalist honors at the state tournament.

For that success, Columbus coach Chris Parker was named the 2016 Ledger-Enquirer All-Bi-City Boys Coach of the Year, and Miller the Boys Golfer of the Year.

On the girls side, Columbus coach Chris Spraggins was back in the saddle as the area's top coach after a second-place finish at state, and Northside's Isabel Rijos took home her third girls golfer of the year award in four seasons with the Lady Patriots.

The Columbus boys were the team to beat throughout the season. They picked up wins at MCI, the Hardaway Invitational, the PGA High School Invitational. They set what Parker believes to be an 18-hole and two-day record, 10-under 278 and 8-under 568, respectively, at the Invite.

Miller never shot over 80 throughout the season and was at par or better in six of his 12 tournaments. His season average was 72.17.

Spraggins nearly led his team to match the boys' success. The Lady Blue Devils took second at the state competition, getting back into contention after a year away. They won state two years ago but didn't have but two experienced players a year ago.

This year, they got three strong freshmen to join the team, and the results were clear.

"The expectations were a lot higher," Spraggins said.

And so were the results. It was Spraggins' final season with the team, he said, and assistant coach Joe McDaniel will take over beginning next year. He'll have a lot to work with as those three talented freshmen will have a lot of good golf ahead of them.

The area will lose its top performer for most of the past four years, though, as Northside's Rijos finished up her senior season. It was a good way to go out, as she averaged 75 for the season and was medalist at the region tournament, the Maple Ridge Classic and the Northside Invitational. She finished second at state.

Rijos credited her improvement in the mental game.

"I think that's what has made a big difference," she said. "This year, I think I really made a huge difference in my mental game, and that's taken me to the next step in my game. I didn't realize how big of a deal it was until it started making a difference. It's more, instead of doubting myself, just telling myself this is what I'm going to do. Trust myself, and think less."

Rijos will be playing college golf at Dalton State.

David Mitchell: 706-571-8571, @leprepsports

All-Bi-City schedule

* Sunday: Track and field

* Monday: Soccer

* Today: Golf

* Wednesday: Rifle

* Thursday: Tennis

* Friday: Softball

* Saturday: Baseball

* Sunday: Baseball

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