The 2024-25 school year is barely a month old, but the first postseason sports competition is set for Monday morning when the golf regionals tee off around the Mountain State.
Area teams will all compete in Region 3 with Class AAA being played at Little Creek Golf Course in South Charleston. The Class AA event will be played at Grandview Country Club in Beaver, while Class A will take place at Pipestem State Park.
Postseason play on the links consists of four players for each team. The three best scores are combined to determine the overall total team score.
The top two teams in each region, per class, will qualify for the state tournament along with the top two individual scores that are not on the winning teams.
The State Tournament will be played on the Speidel Golf Course at Oglebay Park in Wheeling Oct. 8-9. The state tournament event is a two-day, 36-hole stroke play event.
Greenbrier East is the two-time defending AAA Region 3 champion and the Spartans definitely have the team to make it three in a row.
“We started off well and then we kind of plateaued, but I think everybody is finding their groove again. This is a good time for everything to be clicking,” Greenbrier East head coach Jemel Samuels said. “Some of my other guys are stepping up where before, everybody was talking about our No. 1 and No. 2 golfers.”
Sophomore Isaac Hutchison tied for the regional low medalist honors last year and has continued his strong play into 2024.
“I have put a lot of work in this summer and my game is really coming together,” Hutchison said after the Coalfield Conference Tournament Wednesday. “My ball striking is getting good and the putting is also coming.”
Joining Hutchison Monday for the postseason run will be Nate Dolin, Isaac Cantrell and Seth Napier.
Princeton was runner-up to the Spartans at the Coalfield Conference Tournament last Wednesday and was fourth in the regional team event last year.
Head coach Scott Miller’s team has been a consistent group and he believes his team could be a sleeper Monday.
“Right now people probably have us as maybe the first team out to be honest. (George Washington) will be tough up there and we have been right behind Greenbrier East in every tournament,” Miller said. “With our consistent golfers and how deep we are, it just takes one day to get hot. I truly believe in my heart that we can make it to the state tournament.”
While consistency has been the key for the Tigers all season, Princeton does have a player that has the capability to go low on any given day in senior Dylan Canterbury.
“Dylan has been even par or better like eight out his last 11 matches,” Miller said. “He is just somebody that is consistent. He hits it down the middle. He hits it in the middle of the green. If I had to bet, Dylan will be at Oglebay. Now whether the team is with him, we will see.”
Joseph Flanigan, Blake Blankenship and Eli Bailey will battle alongside Canterbury.
Woodrow Wilson was the regional runner-up last year, but will be sending a young team to the regional this year led by sophomore sensation Tyler Stover. He will be joined by Andrew Gallaher, Austin Long and Joseph Bernard.
Oak Hill, Riverside, South Charleston and St. Albans will also compete Monday.
Summers County is the defending Class A Region 3 champion, but was hit hard by graduation. Xavier Honaker returns from the championship team and is joined this year by Christian Dillon, Roby Brown and Elijah Ward.
Charleston Catholic sits as the Region 3 favorite this year, but several other area teams will make a push for a spot in Wheeling.
Wyoming East is an up and coming team and won the Class A Coalfield Conference title led by Talan Muscari, Zach Hunt, Broc Johnson and Logan Stacey.
Pocahontas County has played well at Pipestem and will also be a contender along with a young Midland Trail team consisting of Landyn Cordle, Jacob Brown, Van Wood and Cameron Thomas. Dillon Dunz, Bailey Zickafoose, Reagan Friel and Warren Burns will represent the Warriors.
Each tournament is slated for a 9 a.m. start.
